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Looting in World of Warcraft can be a times a tricky affair. I remember my first rolling blunder - I was in Wailing caverns and we has just killed that turtle boss. A really nifty cape dropped so I rolled on it. Unbeknownst to me a person in our group came specifically for it and needless to say had a loud hissy fit over it. I felt rather bad, but made it up to them by running the place again getting his cape.
Now this relates to World of Warcraft looting in that things would had gone smoothly has A. I've known about the loot rules and how they worked, and B. was told that said item was reserved beforehand. I know I'm not the only one whoever made such a fax pas and I won't be the last. Knowing how they work in general and how the player base uses it will save a player lots of future headache.
It's acceptable to roll on an item:
When the item is genuinely helpful to you.
World of Warcraft goes on a 'need, greed, pass' system. Basically it works like this:
Need on an item when you need it. For example: that piece of gear is a clear upgrade that is beneficial to your class, that recipe is learned by you, that quest item drop is needed.
Pass if the item is of no use, interest, or unusable to you. For example: you cannot disenchant it, or it is unsellable to you and it is bind on pick so cannot be resold on the auction house.
Greed roll when you just want a quick buck. Do this in case (in fact especially on gear) someone may need the gear that has managed to drop.
Roll on recipes only if you can not only use it on that current character but also if you are capable of currently learning it. i.e. if you are a tailor and there is another in the group, both can and should roll on a recipe - but if say you are too low to learn it and the other is not, it is good form to pass to them.
It's also very bad form to need on a recipe claiming you can learn it only to pass it to an alt, or worse sell it on the AH! In the case a recipe drops that no one can learn, then all should greed roll to get resale rights. Some people use this system to gather an herb or mineral in groups though usually in the case of 'farmables' people take turns in what they gather.
Now sometimes people roll need on what is arguably sell-able items, lock boxes, or crafter specific items. Some groups do this due to people abusing the hierarchy of need versus greed. If you see this call them out on it - or seeing that they wish to play that way, need as well to have a fair chance and sell-able loot. Most people generally go by the above listed rules.
Runs like weekly pvp dungeons also fall under these general rules. Abusing need on say a rare mount or item is ill advised - as you will be labeled a ninja and will receive less invites to future runs.
When it isn't called for at the group's beginning.
Some groups form raids or dungeon runs for others (namely guilds) to farm it for a specific piece of gear for that guilder. It may be a rare cape for a twink, rare crafted mats for that guild, or a very rare item.
Generally guilds form runs like this due to their roster being not enough to fill it themselves, or (like with very high end guilds) some are doing a guild 'Alt run' and just are opening the door to help gear pugs. In runs like these most of the times things are put on master loot - but if it's not follow the rules! If you do not like that an item is reserved (and most runs like this the set items are stated beforehand NOT mid run) leave.
Looting after rules have been clearly set will not only get you listed as a ninja but possibly black balled by high end guilds - a very horrible thing to happen if you were planning om applying to any in the future!
Now if a group forms rules like this but changes them mid run or every five seconds, leave. Sloppily run groups with non set rules are not worth the mental headache. There's nothing like feeling used during such a run nor having nothing but a large repair bill to show for it.
When no one else wants it (other than for disenchanting or money).
Note enchanters - just because you can disenchant doesn't mean that every unwanted green is yours by default. Others may want mats for their own enchanter; since greens and below are not bind on pick up, the item doesn't necessarily have to go to you.
Needing or demanding that every green belongs to you (unless that was a stipulation of the run set beforehand) then you'll be labeled as greedy and people will either roll against you on purpose or just kick you out of group.
Extra note: if your party dies and your the last standing (or the first back) do not loot! The system will only loot to those bodily inside the instance. So if a player resurrects they are no long eligible for the loot. People have lost out on great gear this way!