The Meaning Behind Shoes Strung Up On A Power Line

Although I don’t think the phenomenon is quite as common now as it was when I was a kid,

you’ve likely been walking or driving through a neighborhood only

to see a pair of sneakers tied together by the shoelaces and tossed up on to a power line.

I always assumed this was just something neighborhood kids did from time to time,

but had no idea that there were so many theories about the meaning behind this behavior.

The first theory takes us all the way back to wartime days when soldiers would apparently toss their boots when they had completed their training or completed their post.

Maybe this symbolism is where all other theories originated from? Who knows.

There’s also a common belief that tossing shoes up on a power line is a way for gangs to mark their territory and warn others gangs to stay away. However, this theory has never exactly been proven.

Many people believe that seeing shoes up on a power line is the result of kids bullying one another.

I can think of at least two movies where neighborhood bullies have taken a kid’s sneakers and thrown them up on a power line, leaving them shoeless.

I’d like to think this theory doesn’t hold much weight, but I’m sure there have been a few circumstances over the years where this has unfortunately been the case.

Perhaps the most common theory out there (and the one that I personally believe in the most) is that people toss their sneakers up on to power lines “just because.”

Maybe it seems like a fun thing to do with a pair of old sneakers. And like so many other behaviors,

people see the first pair flung up there and decide to follow suit. To me, this is a prime of example of just kids being kids.

 

Related Posts

Tired of her husband’s infidelities, the wife of a wealthy man replaced his suitcase before his “business trip” to the sea

Tired of her husband’s infidelities, the wife of a wealthy man replaced his suitcase before his “business trip” to the sea. The mistress would long remember searching…

My Stepdaughter Laughed at My Priceless Heirloom Wedding Dress, Calling It ‘Outdated’ — Then Demanded It the Moment She Saw It on Her SIL

My stepdaughter laughed at me when I presented my vintage wedding dress. She termed it “old rags” and criticized the sentiment. However, when she saw someone else…

The Woman at Our Basement Laundry Had My Husband’s Shirts — I Checked the Footage and the Truth Made My Jaw Drop

Natalie thought her life was perfect until she saw her husband’s favorite clothes in their neighbor’s washing basket. Fearing theft, she confronted the woman and discovered a…

My Mom Took the Same Bus Every Night — Until the Night the Driver Said She Was Never On It

Rain always hit harder in our lot. The pavement gleamed like glass under bus headlights, and every night at 9:47, I’d spot her shoes and the familiar…

She Said My Lottery Win Belonged to “The Family” — Now the Police Are Involved

Last year, I came across photos of a family vacation on my brother’s Instagram. When I asked my mom why I hadn’t been invited, she casually said,…

I brought the honeymooners down to earth after they attempted to turn my flight into a hell as payback.

Have you ever had awful seatmates? Introducing the newlyweds that made my fourteen-hour journey a misery. The jet was mistaken for their honeymoon suite. I thought it…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *