I'm actually fine with bopping folks who run past you. I'm more amused that you can get all these easy attacks against people, but not against inanimate objects. Heck, it's fair to require a standard action to drop a chandelier, because you've got to cut the rope and make sure the enemy stays under the target spot. But I've had a couple of GMs who balk at the idea of easily smashing unattended things during combat.
Likewise, once my ranger was blinded by a spray of acid in the face. I kept failing saves, and was blind, so I wanted to use a Heal check to grant myself an extra save. But nope, by the rules as written, you can only scrape acid out of your buddy's eyes, not your own. Though, again rules as written, I could make my falcon animal companion perform a Heal check on me to grant me a save.
(In 3e, I witnessed a barbarian player who wanted to chase after a badguy who had used an unseen servant to close a door behind him as he fled. By the rules, the PC couldn't run to the door, open it, and keep running. However, he had spring attack, so he could move to the door, destroy it with a power attack, and keep moving through.)
I'm just pointing out that sometimes the rules come across as a little silly.