Why are people still hostile in free mode, despite K/D no longer being affected?

Free-mode kills no longer affect your K/D. Still, I can hardly approach anyone on foot without them rifling me. Even when I’m just driving to the casino in a cheap NPC van (not a sports car or weaponized vehicle), I still get exploded. What exactly is the point? If they love PvP, why not just join a death match and earn some cash and RP? Why stick around in freemode just to kill?