Coin operated Breathalyser Machine, Model “Combat A” , Wall Mountable, made by Camec, c.1984, complete with associated instruction and description booklet manuals and publicity ephemerae, for public use in pubs and clubs, to provide customer with a method of checking their alcohol intake, prior to driving
The Coin Operated Machine for Breath Alcohol Testing Automatic calibration or COMBAT A was designed to be installed in pubs, hotels, restaurants, and clubs to give "drivers the opportunity to safeguard their license." Costing 20p per go, drivers would exhale through a straw until the stop blowing indicator was lit. The machine would detect their alcohol levels showing either under the limit, under the limit with a recommendation to do a repeat test or over the limit. The labels on the machine warn that a person’s alcohol level could still be rising around 30 minutes after their last alcoholic drink without food or 90 minutes following a meal. At the time this machine was in operation the legal limit to drive was 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 ml of blood or 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The machines also have a disclaimer that the results cannot be used as evidence. Breathalysers at the roadside were introduced in 1967.
Details
- Category:
- Public Health & Hygiene
- Object Number:
- 2008-38
- Materials:
- metal, plastic and electronic components
- Measurements:
-
overall: 450 mm x 466 mm x 190 mm, 12.6 kg
- type:
- breathalyser machine
- credit:
- Mr. John Austin