Shoes hanging on power lines have different meanings depending on the cultural context and location. Here are some of the most common explanations:
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Bullying: In some neighborhoods, a pair of shoes thrown over a power line is evidence of bullying. Specifically, it may mean that someone—usually a vulnerable child—has been separated from their shoes by a bully or a pack of bullies, who then throw the shoes over the power line to admire them like a trophy.
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Gang territory: Shoes on a telephone wire are popularly said to be linked to organized crime, signifying the location of gang turf, commemorating the death of a gang member or a non-gang member who lived in the area. The shoes are also rumored to mark a spot for drug deals.
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Folk sport: The act of “shoe tossing” - in which shoes are tied together by their laces and thrown across power lines - is considered by some to be a folk sport.
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Decoration: Shoes are sometimes thrown into a tree to festoon it as a "shoe tree". Occasionally, a powerline pole or other wooden object may be decorated in the same way. Shoe trees are generally located alongside major local thoroughfares and they may have a theme (such as high-heeled shoes) .
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No meaning at all: Alternatively, shoes hanging on power lines could have no meaning at all. Maybe people have just begun to fling shoes out of boredom.
Its important to note that these explanations are not universal and may differ from city to city and even from neighborhood to neighborhood.
