Helicopter pilots fly like they fly, if their day to day activity involves flying at low level, then that's how they manage their flights, all of them, because it's their comfort zone. Get away from the warm embrace of the "TAWS RED ZONE" and they'll feel naked. and exposed.
I agree with the OP, no reason to fly a cross country at 500 ago, perhaps if it's a short flight and you are extremely familiar with the terrain you can do that on a good VMC day.
I found that doing the scud running thing grossly reduces your situational awareness, increases the attention given to obstacle avoidance and, depending on where you are flying, may make communications with ATC more difficult; not to mention reducing the chances of a succesfull autorotation if one has to be performed.