I've got a question. Those folks take along some kind of oxygen supply right? How much does it supplement? I wonder if that played into it. Without a decent air supply it feels like your whole body is dying. You get tunnel vision. You don't think clearly. I can see how otherwise rational people just might develop a very hard screw you attitude.
OTOH, it seems to be a pervasive attitude in our culture these days. I've met some pretty callous people. Common courtesy isn't so common any more.