EXCHANGING PLACES IS A CYCLE SAFETY CAMPAIGN BY THE MET POLICE, ABOUT HOW TO RIDE AND WALK SAFELY AROUND HEAVY-GOODS VEHICLES. IT NOW EXISTS IN A VIRTUAL WORLD.
I worked with the Metropolitan Police on a personal capacity after I have successfully pitched the idea of 360 content creation to the Met Police Cycle Safety Team as lead service designer/project manager. The 360 film I’ve produced has been publicly launched in Aug 2018, about a year after I have delivered it. The Met Police’ Cycle Safety Team has since set up the ‘Virtual Reality Team’, who visits schools and corporates, charity organisations.
BEFORE(L): A real-life Exchanging Places event by Met Police (Marble Arch, September 2016)
AFTER(R) : A 360 film watchable anytime, anywhere (Made in 2017, launched to the public in August 2018)
To view the video in 360, put your mobile phone in a VR headset(i.e. Google Cardboard) and play.
Press Coverage
‘Shocking virtual reality film aims to cut bike deaths by showing risks of riding close to lorries’ (Evening standard)
CLOCS (Construction, Logistics and Community Safety)
London Road Safety Council
“When someone’s mobility is restricted, the knowledge and confidence imparted by Exchanging Places is even more important – I hope that this film is seen by as many people as possible who cannot get to one of our ‘real’ events.
- Chief superintendent Colin Wingrove, from the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC)
What is ‘Exchanging Places’ in VR?
The original Exchanging Places program by the Met Police is a fantastic campaign for the members of the public to experience the view from the lorry drivers. However, it would have a limited reach - for people with limited mobility, it would be impossible to climb up into the high cab of these trucks. Also, the events happen in central London most of the times. With this virtual reality version of Exchanging Places, Met Police can serve more wider public then they used to, without the limitation of time, place, and the number of people they can accommodate to.
Watch this video to learn about the design process. (4 minutes 30 seconds)
MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT
The idea came from a showcase for a different project
Work-in-Progress Show, Jan 2016, Royal College of Art
The London Bike Show, Feb 2016, exCel
I’d made a quick-and-dirty 360 film on educating cyclists and HGV drivers with the project titled 'Cyrcle'. (a data platform that tracks cyclists & truck and suggests optimally routes) for the Work-In-Progress show at Royal College of Art. After seeing the audience reaction, I have actually proposed this to Metropolitan Police Cycle Safety Team. They were enthusiastic and sponsored the project.
The prototype was exhibited at the London Bike Show 2016
The London Bike Show is the UK's largest cycling exhibition. During the show, I’ve showcased an iterated version of this to about 150 people at the Met Police Exchanging Places booth. The audience reaction once again proved my hypothesis about combining a new technology with an educational message that could change the public behaviour.
I observed the distinctive differences in behaviour of different demographics during this showcase, and my conclusion is that a public message using new technology will have a particularly better reach to certain demographics.
For example, children, and male in their teens seemed more receptive, while mid-aged women often have highest resistance to try. It was sad really to see that, while observing without any preset of assumptions, that it corroborated certain stereotypes.
Not a particular focus for this project, but one takeaway could be that to get the message across women, they would need to be targeted separately. Women need to be reached out specifically for themselves, and given a venue where they feel entitled to try the new experiment.
Commercial Vehicle Show, April 2016, NEC Birmingham
And at the Commercial Vehicle Show 2016
I had the privilege to showcase one of the iterated versions at Commercial Vehicle Show in NEC Birmingham. I was hosted by FORS (Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme).
Even though I had already exhibited at the London Bike Show, the CVS was an eye-opener - while the VR training was validated in terms the concept & business feasibility, I learned that it needs a lot more professional finish to be able to draw empathy from the bigger public.
