Well 'Blinded' you are right that airbus strobes come on when the aircraft leaves the ground and go off again on landing (it's off the main gear weight on switch) but that is only if the pilots leave the strobe switch in the auto position.
Use of strobes is not covered in our SOP's but it is in the airbus FCOM as setting strobe switch to auto in the cockpit preparation and to off when securing the aircraft after engine shutdown.
However, what we actually do is select the strobes to auto as part of the cockpit preparation and then to on when entering an active runway and to off when tidying up after landing on leaving the runway - hence ensuring they are on when doing the take off roll but risking them being left on by us dopey pilots as we taxy in.
FYI I was always taught strobes on when entering an active and off when leaving and BTW my JAR Air Law notes don't say anything about use of strobes other than "A pilot may switch off or reduce the intensity of any flashing lights if they are likely to adversely affect the satisfactory performance of duties, or subject an outside observer to harmful dazzle."
Hope that helps...