Neutral grids attack without provocation, no different from Hostile grids

Today, I also experienced a Neutral grid opening fire on me. It was quite a surprise. I did not attack it; I merely flew near it.

I don't have a problem with dynamic NPCs that do things like that. But, there is a problem in that my weapons, which are normally set not to shoot Neutrals, would not fire back because my assailant was Neutral to me. Toggling the weapons to shoot Neutrals on made the weapons work, of course, but this is a weird scenario to be in.

What's the point of a HUD signal indicating a grid is Neutral, if I cannot believe that it's neutral? What is the difference between Neutral and Hostile if both will attack me?

Don't get me wrong, I really do like that the NPCs have personalities and can do things like this. However, the relationship system is really showing its limitations here.

Neutral facilities used to be a place where you could determine your own destiny. Interact nicely, maybe buy / sell things, whatever. Build your relationship. Or, pirate them, lose rep with the faction, and have them go hostile after a few times.

But now, there's no difference at all between Hostile and Neutral is there? As I can reasonably expect any Neutral grid to attack me.

Possible solutions,

• Introduce a grid-specific relation system. When a grid attacks me, my relationship to that grid becomes Hostile. Weapons set to shoot Hostiles will engage correctly.
• When a neutral grid decides to attack, temporarily change its faction relationship to Hostile. This status remains until 1 hour after the last shot the grid fires at the player. Have the faction relationship revert back to Neutral (and the original relationship points it had before the grid attacked the player).
• When a neutral grid decides to attack, move that grid to a hostile faction (move it to SPRT or something)
• Introduce a new AI setting for weapons and CTC like "shoot attacking grid" or "enable self-defense," which would allow the weapons to shoot any grid that has shot at the player recently (say within the past hour).

There may be other solutions. There may be better solutions. But those are some suggestions that might address this weirdness.