Hi, I recently went to the New Years Rave, Together as One in California. Ive heard that many people got pricked with HIV and a sticker put on them that said "welcome to my world" or "welcome to the aids club." Im really dumbfounded about the whole thing, and Id like to know if you can help me know whats going on at these raves. Id like to go to a rave in June, but theres no way im going if its full of prickers.

Hello,

You "heard" that many people got pricked with HIV at a rave? Hmm . . . that myth has now become so popular that it's almost reaching urban legend status along with the lady who put her cat in the microwave to dry him off and all the people who woke up in bathtubs full of ice with their kidneys removed. Dude (or Dudette), you've got to differentiate pricks from prickers at raves. If someone is sick enough to think it's amusing to put stickers that read "welcome to the AIDS club" on fellow ravers, the dude is a real adolescent prick. As for HIV-crazed maniac prickers actually infecting ravers, no, that did not happen. So rave on, my dear, always being wary of pricks rather than prickers.

Dr. Bob