Lemain,
it's pretty clear that you are taking marine contexts into aviation, and to some degree i can understand your percetions.
as a couple of points you mention as follows:
To be frank, I think that's counter-productive. What does one do presented with a light one wasn't expecting to see? Commonsense tells us we've not 'planned' or 'expected' to fly into a crane or a building! My reaction, and I'd guess, the instant reaction of an unexpected light is WTF!? If you check the rules, an instant response of up, down left or right isn't clear to the pilot. The marine cardinal system is better
Maybe I see it a bit differently as I also do marine (ocean). I do cars trains and buses as well. And bicycles. Just for the purpose of this reply, suppose I am flying directly towards you, you are on my nose. We are talking visual only. I see your white, your green and your red. And hopefully vice versa. How do I 'notice' you? I mean, what draws your presence to my attention?...
What drew your attention to the light(s)? Suppose there seemed to be flashing lights associated with the group? What might you consider 'normal circumstances' or what would be 'abnormal circumstances' and would you react differently in 'normal' and 'abnormal' circumstances? With a closing speed of a couple of hundred knots in a Cessna, you haven't got a lot of time to ponder.... I suppose you could hover in a helicopter and ponder
ok as i had posted previously, and i'll repost here:
FAR-AIM Section 2 Air Navigation and Obstruction Lighting.
-2-3. Obstruction Lights
a. Obstructions are marked/lighted to warn airmen of their presence during daytime and nighttime conditions. They may be marked/lighted in any of the following combinations:
1. Aviation Red Obstruction Lights. Flashing aviation red beacons (20 to 40 flashes per minute) and steady burning aviation red lights during nighttime operation. Aviation orange and white paint is used for daytime marking.
2. Medium Intensity Flashing White Obstruction Lights. Medium intensity flashing white obstruction lights may be used during daytime and twilight with automatically selected reduced intensity for nighttime operation. When this system is used on structures 500 feet (153m) AGL or less in height, other methods of marking and lighting the structure may be omitted. Aviation orange and white paint is always required for daytime marking on structures exceeding 500 feet (153m) AGL. This system is not normally installed on structures less than 200 feet (61m) AGL.
3. High Intensity White Obstruction Lights.Flashing high intensity white lights during daytime with reduced intensity for twilight and nighttime operation. When this type system is used, the marking of structures with red obstruction lights and aviation orange and white paint may be omitted.
4. Dual Lighting. A combination of flashing aviation red beacons and steady burning aviation red lights for nighttime operation and flashing high intensity white lights for daytime operation. Aviation orange and white paint may be omitted.
5. Catenary Lighting. Lighted markers are available for increased night conspicuity of high-voltage (69KV or higher) transmission line catenary wires. Lighted markers provide conspicuity both day and night.
b. Medium intensity omnidirectional flashing white lighting system provides conspicuity both day and night on catenary support structures. The unique sequential/simultaneous flashing light system alerts pilots of the associated catenary wires.
c. High intensity flashing white lights are being used to identify some supporting structures of overhead transmission lines located across rivers, chasms, gorges, etc. These lights flash in a middle, top, lower light sequence at approximately 60 flashes per minute. The top light is normally installed near the top of the supporting structure, while the lower light indicates the approximate lower portion of the wire span. The lights are beamed towards the companion structure and identify the area of the wire span.
d. High intensity flashing white lights are also employed to identify tall structures, such as chimneys and towers, as obstructions to air navigation. The lights provide a 360 degree coverage about the structure at 40 flashes per minute and consist of from one to seven levels of lights depending upon the height of the structure. Where more than one level is used the vertical banks flash simultaneously.
so yes ligting of an obstruction is beneficial, seeing the light obstruction, the piolt would interpret that as appropriate and corrective action.
lighting on an obstruction is not counter productive, it's very productive. no, an aircraft should not be so close to a structure as to cause immenent threat, but thats where lighting fits in, it provides an additional layer safety to a potential circumstance that could result in a catstrophic event.
a heli cannot, as shy torque, a heli pilot himself has addressed merely stop, hang around and do something else, further to that the specific airmass the pilot is in is moving also which could further make the situation more critical.
in your shipping context, a ship cannot merely stop and decide which way its going to go around a reef, the mass of water it is in is moving also which under lack of power control could cause the very situation attempting to be avoided.
further to that, yes ships have GPS and many other systems, but harbour entrances still lit bouys going into harbour entrances, they do not absolve the situation of catastrophic outcomes, but they provide another layer of safety to prevent such.
like i posted, a tower crane costs upwards of a couple of hundred thousand, probably way more, way way more. a couple of hundred on lighting provides a very effective and cheap safety margin.