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Breathalyzer Vending machines

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FDF12389

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I'm thinking of purchases a few of these, Just wanted to see what your thoughts are on the idea. I'm confident I could place them at a few high traffic locations. Ideally, I would place them near universities, at bars that continually have new clientèle, a younger clientèle.

http://alcocheckpoint.com/

My first step will be to get a few bar owners on board. Then order a machine or two.

Thoughts?
 
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$1,700 per machine, and $70 every 1,000 uses. Will you also have to pay the bar for placement? You can make a bit of money doing this, but I don't know if it's worth the effort. Something like that would be better for a bar owner to make a couple extra dollars. I don't know about an outside party doing it.
 
lxskllr said:
$1,700 per machine, and $70 every 1,000 uses. Will you also have to pay the bar for placement? You can make a bit of money doing this, but I don't know if it's worth the effort. Something like that would be better for a bar owner to make a couple extra dollars. I don't know about an outside party doing it.
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70 every 1,000 uses? Are you talking about upkeep? Its 1.00 per use. And the few bars that I've asked have not asked for a placement or eletricity fee.
 
Fear No Evil said:
Seems like there could be some liability issues.. the machine said they were .07, the cops said .08
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This is another thing I'm looking into, theres a disclaimer on the machine, and given the time factor, I don't think there would be any liability issues, but I am looking at the possibility.
 
If there was one of these at the bars we frequented when I was in college, it would just turn into a competition. There is no way that anyone would actually use it to determine if they were able to drive home.
 
seepy83 said:
If there was one of these at the bars we frequented when I was in college, it would just turn into a competition. There is no way that anyone would actually use it to determine if they were able to drive home.
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This.

Monday night dart tournament, 0.10 minimum to enter.
 
seepy83 said:
If there was one of these at the bars we frequented when I was in college, it would just turn into a competition. There is no way that anyone would actually use it to determine if they were able to drive home.
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Yea, that would be really good for business! $1 a pop and drunk frat guys keep feeding it money to compare peener sizes? $$$$$$$$$$$$
 
trmiv said:
Yea, that would be really good for business! $1 a pop and drunk frat guys keep feeding it money to compare peener sizes? $$$$$$$$$$$$
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This is what I was thinking, one of the bars I asked said that he looked into getting one because it would reduce his insurance, but he was turned off by the upfront cost. I think I'm gonna pull the trigger on one. I've talked to 10 bar owners and only got three "no"s.
 
The more I think about this, the more I think it is a bad idea.
"It was that bartender's fault that I face-planted and broke my nose outside your bar. I'm going to sue you for a ton of money. Me and my buddies were using that machine you provide us with to see how high we could get our BAC. We were all over .20 and the bartender never cut us off. Good luck in court."
 
seepy83 said:
The more I think about this, the more I think it is a bad idea.
"It was that bartender's fault that I face-planted and broke my nose outside your bar. I'm going to sue you for a ton of money. Me and my buddies were using that machine you provide us with to see how high we could get our BAC. We were all over .20 and the bartender never cut us off. Good luck in court."
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How would that be any different if someone drank an equal amount without the machine? The machine tells you when to stop, not when to keep going, its also a self administered test.

But again I am trying to research liability in my state.
 
FDF12389 said:
How would that be any different if someone drank an equal amount without the machine? The machine tells you when to stop, not when to keep going, its also a self administered test.

But again I am trying to research liability in my state.
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I'm not a lawyer, and this is obviously something that would be best analyzed by one that is familiar with local laws, but the difference that I see is that the drunk idiot would be able to say "I know that I was over .xx BAC so obviously I was a danger to myself and I was not in a mental state where I could make and a rational decision, and that bartender kept feeding me more shots of tequila." You're giving the drunk idiot more firepower if something happens and they decide to sue the bar.

I believe, at least where I live, the bar/bartender are liable if they do not cut someone off.
 
seepy83 said:
If there was one of these at the bars we frequented when I was in college, it would just turn into a competition.
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I thought that this was the idea, people competing to get their BAC higher would spend much more money than the odd fellow seeking to see if he could drive home legally.
 
seepy83 said:
I'm not a lawyer, and this is obviously something that would be best analyzed by one that is familiar with local laws, but the difference that I see is that the drunk idiot would be able to say "I know that I was over .xx BAC so obviously I was a danger to myself and I was not in a mental state where I could make and a rational decision, and that bartender kept feeding me more shots of tequila." You're giving the drunk idiot more firepower if something happens and they decide to sue the bar.

I believe, at least where I live, the bar/bartender are liable if they do not cut someone off.
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A few things to notice from what I've read:

A: The bar would be liable, not me.
B: There is nothing on the machine that stores results, so how would one prove they used the machine?
 
I ran in to one of these machines nearly ten years ago in a Toronto bar. From what I remember, it had a line for it and everyone was getting shitfaced to see who could get the highest "score".
 
FDF12389 said:
A few things to notice from what I've read:

A: The bar would be liable, not me.
B: There is nothing on the machine that stores results, so how would one prove they used the machine?
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A: OK, you wouldn't be liable. But you're taking this on as a business venture. If the first bar you install one of these in ends up paying out a large sum of money because of the scenario I described, then I doubt you'll get any more clients. You'll have a cool $1700 novelty piece for the man-cave at home, though.

B: cameras and video cameras are extremely ubiquitous these days.

These are just my initial thoughts and reasons for not pursuing this machine as a vendor (you) or customer (bar owner). Do what you wish, but I wouldn't touch it with a 100 foot pole.
 
FDF12389 said:
70 every 1,000 uses? Are you talking about upkeep? Its 1.00 per use. And the few bars that I've asked have not asked for a placement or eletricity fee.
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The alcohol sensor wears out after approx 1,000 uses, and it's $70 to replace per their website.
 
lxskllr said:
The alcohol sensor wears out after approx 1,000 uses, and it's $70 to replace per their website.
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So instead of 1000 dollars you'd have 930.. Not really seeing a big deal here. This doesn't seem like that bad of an idea, but JESUS FUCKING CHRIST EXPENSIVE! I'm willing to bet this could be made MUCH cheaper diy.

edit- looking up the stuff to make a DIY breathalyzer, would cost like... 50-60 to make, thrown on the LCD etc, cash reader blah blah, probably would be like 400 bucks to make one of these things.
 
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bfdd said:
So instead of 1000 dollars you'd have 930.. Not really seeing a big deal here. This doesn't seem like that bad of an idea, but JESUS FUCKING CHRIST EXPENSIVE! I'm willing to bet this could be made MUCH cheaper diy.

edit- looking up the stuff to make a DIY breathalyzer, would cost like... 50-60 to make, thrown on the LCD etc, cash reader blah blah, probably would be like 400 bucks to make one of these things.
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You have to pay rent(?) for the space, maintain the machines by replacing straws, fixing the money taker, removing money... It's another job driving around tending to machines, and with the initial purchase price plus maintenance fees, it isn't quite as attractive as "OMG a money machine!".
 
Get a couple of these and an arduino:

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/8880

For about 100 bucks you can build the machine. Accuracy does not matter, you just need a good lawyer. :biggrin:

On serious note though, I wonder if that hardware could build a decently accurate one. You'd want several sensors in there so if one is off it triggers an error though.

Edit: Crap, this is a necro. Just realized.
 
techie83 said:
Hi guys,
I want some confirmation whether the breathalyzer machine below uses fuel cell technology or semi conductors. Here are some pictures of the inside mechanism

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8k474iedrluwpt0/IMG_20140320_161411.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i8cg98di7qai1af/IMG_20140320_130008.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/onjzpf598jsx5ug/IMG_20140320_130951.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ild1s2tyfy6r4r9/IMG_20140320_131000.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lbb5kq7btbilcez/IMG_20140320_131039.jpg
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I could design the board and have it manufactured for probably $50 in quantity = 1. I'm guessing I could create that machine for less than $100 even with the same sensor with a little bit of effort in very low quantities. Hmm...
 
Neither the police nor these gadgets solve the core problems, which are ignorance of the human body and how it handles alcohol, as well as the lack of concern for your fellow human beings.
 
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