Usually, if there is a NOTAM issued, it is because there is some conflict with a procedure
With the caveat that I am not a NOTAM criteria expert, I think that the comment is a little wide of the mark.
There will be a host of criteria for which a NOTAM is required if "something" is outside the defined boundary of acceptability .. obstacle considerations being just one of many matters addressed by NOTAM.
In addition, one needs to be a little circumspect as, on occasion, the NOTAM itself contains duff gen .. and this certainly applies at times for obstacle NOTAM.
A healthy dose of suspicious cynicism helps one aspire to the goal of retiring rather than dying ... but isn't that the golden rule in flying anyway ?
If an obstacle is in conflict on a permanent basis, the flight procedure is adjusted or the obstacle mitigated.
Does your comment infer that one disregards a temporary obstacle problem ? If that were true, I have dishonestly obtained many dollars over the years from client operators ...
How I would love to take some of the more risk averse airline pilots for a trip into London Heliport!
Not risk averse at all and quite prepared to take a risk when the risk/benefit makes sense .. and, of course, that assessment will vary according to the particular circumstances and class of operation, etc.
However, risks at the other end of the scale don't get a guernsey in my ambit.
The catch-cry is risk-managed rather than risk averse. One needs to keep in mind that risk management involves competent technical assessment, not just a finger-in-the-wind-she'll-be-OK-Jack approach to the problem.
Pilots are obliged to climb past one of them in particular with a lateral separation of less than 100 metres.
Let me guess ... day VMC operations only .. or very well lit for night VMC ? While not in airline operations, I have done the same sort of thing in days gone past in Airwork utility operations. However, like those croppies who live to a ripe old age, the smaller the margin for error, the greater the effort which needs to go into procedural assessment.
I recall a TP mate, years ago, who spent hours traipsing the paddocks around the runway prior to the first flight of a particular machine .. you guessed it, and he didn't raise any sign of a sweat as he executed the prepared for forced landing.