Just assume for a second that you are talking to an experienced competent developer here. I have never done any of the things you mention. And I have never worked with a developer who did any of the things you mention.

I have however worked with a narcissistic power hungry incompetent sys admin in the past. That doesn’t mean though that I automatically assume that all sys admins are the same. The one I am working with right now is highly competent and a pleasure to work with. And he is smart enough to simply give VM’s with root access to developers who ask for it.