Do the shoes tied together and hanging from wires actually mean anything ?
My local newspaper suggested it may be a gang marking its "turf" or kids celebrating their "deflowering".

 

I believe it is the way kids pay hommage to friends who have been killed due to gang, or random violence.

I could be totally wrong.

 

there are some power lines that go over Lake Austin that always have 1 or 2 pairs of shoes, if not more, hanging from them. It's been like that for at least 15 years or so. I'm pretty sure about 90% of the people that throw them up there are just drunk and having a good time. The other 10% are just pissed at someone so they steal their shoes....

 

Around here they mean - A Drug House.

 

That's what I've been told. Part of the time it's probably just some kids fooling around though.

 

On Army posts it's a sign of a soldier's end of service.

 

Yes. It means that someone is walking around barefooted.

 

DING DING DING WE HAVE A WINNER!

 

 

From WAY back in the 60's it was a kids way to celebrate school was over for the summer or break. They'd toss their gym shoes (no $200 sneakers back then - just Keds!) or "good" school shoes up over the wires. Then they'd get punished by parents who were mad at the waste because shoes were too expensive to throw away! I never did it but all the guys I knew did.

 

 

Same thing in East Austin

 

That is what I was told.

 

same thing here in Tampa, FL...shoes over wires is a mark to acknowledge a drug house is near by.

thou its not 100% accurate.

~Q

 

http://www.snopes.com/crime/gangs/sneakers.htm