MadDogDriver,
Those strobes maybe annoying when someone is lining up but they may just save a runway collision. We used to leave them in auto position to switch on when airborne. After a few very close calls (BA nearly landing on a BMI at LHR) our Sop changed on the BUS to put them on entering the runway. It seems a shame that not all MDs have been modified, because it sounds like this accident may not have happened if that was the case.