don’t wear your helmet, you could have a bike accident!

As once in a while reappears the argument that wearing a bike helmet increases one’s chances of a bike accident. In the current case, it is to argue against a French regulation proposal that helmets should be compulsory for all cyclists. Without getting now into the pros and cons of compulsory helmet laws (enforced in Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as some provinces of Canada), I see little worth in the study cited by Le Monde towards this argument. As the data is poor and poorly analysed. First, there is a significant fraction of cycling accidents when the presence of an helmet is unknown. Second, the fraction of cyclists wearing helmets is based on a yearly survey involving 500 persons in a few major French cities. The conclusion that there are three times more accidents among cyclists wearing helmets than among cyclists not wearing helmets is thus not particularly reliable. Rather than the highly debatable arguments that (a) seeing a cyclist with an helmet would reduce the caution of car or bus drivers, (b) wearing an helmet would reduce the risk aversion of a cyclist, (c) sport-cyclists are mostly wearing helmets but their bikes are not appropriate for cities (!), I would not eliminate [as the authors do] the basic argument that helmeted cyclists are on average traveling longer distances. With a probability of an accident that necessarily  increases with the distance traveled. While people renting on-the-go bikes are usually biking short distances and almost never wear helmets. (For the record, I mostly wear a [bright orange] helmet but sometimes do not when going to the nearby bakery or swimming pool… Each time I had a fall, crash or accident with a car, I was wearing an helmet and I once hit my head or rather the helmet on the ground, with no consequence I am aware of!)

what’s wrong with this picture [ans.: nothing]

AstroDeep in Paris [postdoc position]

Here is a call for candidates to a postdoc on Bayesian machine learning methods for measuring weak gravitational lensing.  In downtown Paris. There is no application deadline, which means the earlier the application the better!

The candidate should hold a PhD in mathematics, computer science, physics/astrophysics or engineering. Candidates with either a scientific or technical background are welcome to apply. Prior experience in machine learning and Bayesian statistics would be an asset. Our group is committed to diversity and equality, and encourage applications from women and underrepresented minorities. We support a flexible and family-friendly work environment. The position includes an internationally competitive salary and generous travel budget. French language skills are not required. Applicants should send a CV and research statement, and arrange for three reference letters to be sent to the contact email address jobs@astrodeep.net

Choose France – CNRS AI Rising Talents Programme for exceptionally talented early-career AI researchers

The French national scientific research institute, CNRS, is launching a one-shot call for hiring early-career  AI researchers on a 5 year 100% research position in any of the CNRS research units in France. Including ours in Paris Dauphine. The offer is quite generous in that the attached grant provides a full professor salary and support to hire postdocs and PhD students. Early career means two to seven years after PhD. The deadline is 30 November.

off to Luminy!!!