scary things

People Keep Stepping on Needles at the Beach

The crowds tend to gather near 92nd St. at Rockaway Beach like this day on Sunday, June 20, 2011.
Photo: The Washington Post/Getty Images

New York’s beaches get a lot of hype these days, but they remain kinda gross. At least four people have been stabbed by stray needles in the last three weeks of sand-play, including one at Rockaway and three in Staten Island. An old Times article assures us, “Even with a puncture wound, the chances of getting AIDS or hepatitis are very slight,” but maybe it’s still time to invest in some water shoes (just not the ones with the little toes).

People Keep Stepping on Needles at the Beach