So...

...in answer to your question, you could see it as either laziness on the part of the player, or a lack of knowledge and confidence with landing at a surface port, or just trying to reduce the time needed to get to where you want to be, (this could be seen as impatience?).
This is nothing you can't learn if you want to...
With surface bases as you probably know, it takes more player input than that, just as a rough example...you'll come out of super cruise taking you somewhere near the planet, then you have to lock on to the surface station and get set up for entering the glide pattern. That station, depending where you first enter the system in super cruise can be completely around the other side of the planet, so you need to be in a position where you have a clear run down to the station. More player input.
Then there's the glide down. Too steep an angle and you're thrown out at a distance that might be be many kilometres from the station and therefore it will take you a lot longer time than need be. Too shallow an angle and that has more or less the same result, so it's one of those actions that needs to be experienced and mastered to glide down quickly at the optimum angle. Coming out of the glide successfully will put you in a position that's near the hailing distance for permission to dock, so you can either use the auto dock or or do it manually.
I know that there is a lot one can do wrong, but if I get it right, I need about as much time to land on a surface station as I need for the approach and landing on an orbital station. I still consider myself slow in that regard, campared to more seasoned commanders who have developed methods that allow them to dock and return at least twice in the time I dock once. Flying with them has helped me improve vastly in that regard. Most of my ships have neither ADC/DC nor SCA modules installed.
All this is second nature to me, so it's no problem, and I have plenty of 'free' time nowadays. If the auto dock could take you directly from first entering the system right down to the planet station landing pad I'd quite honestly use that to be honest if it was available, as it's less input from the player in a repetitive sense, and less wear and tear on the mouse keyboard or joystick*
That definitely would be way slower than what even I can achieve...
It's quite amazing how much use a joystick (or gamepad, keyboard etc.) gets with some games. Obviously with any flight or this type of space game you definitely subject those controls to some rigorous use.
I seem to be lucky with my trusty old Xbox 360 gamepad. It has seen extensive use in racing games and still is my controller of choice for Elite.
I would love to get a new one that has a few more buttons, but I somewhat dread the apparent high wear on those newer, way more expensive controllers. I tried a cheaper one, but besides its extra buttons just replacing other buttons (which means you get two buttons that do the same) - it is already dead. Lasted about a week.
I guess it is the way I use my old controller that makes the difference. I tend to smaller movements and don't yank the stick from one side to the other, smashing it into the hull of the controller. That also keeps the strain on my tendons at bay.*
I personally think that a game so designed should limit this wear if at all possible. And much more importantly repetitive muscle strain.
I'm not sure that is even possible. People always find ways to perform repetetive movements.
*: I suffer from the aftermath of a neglected tendosynovitis in both arms. A job which combined long hours at the wheel of a 7.5 ton box truck with strenuous manual labor with minimal tools was the main reason for that. Being stressed out because of fearing to lose the job combined with a lack of experience did the other half.