What is the meaning of flinging shoes over a power line?

27 comments

1. The meaning of flinging shoes over a power line is unclear. It could be considered a form of littering, or it could be an act of defiance or disrespect.

2. I’ve seen two meanings. On college campuses, it means virginity lost here.

   Off campus, it means drugs sold here.

3. Drugs sold here. Someone was killed here. Where I’m from it was kids just being kids throwing shoes to see if they could get them stuck which was common. Lots of possibilities. If it’s a nice area it’s probably kids.

4. Or it could be a reference to the movie Wag The Dog

5. Drugs.

6. that means that a lineman died there doing his work

7. Someone was killed there.

8. Hot MILFs in the area.

9. Way back in my hippy town, it meant that you lived there for a while and were now leaving.

10. It means I like the property values in my neighborhood to be on the low end.

11. memorial for harambe

12. Combat boots=ETS

13. Someone got their ass kicked.

14. Someone was killed

15. Scares vampires away

16. Depends on the area. I’ve always heard it meant that drugs were sold there.

    Can also mean someone was killed there

    Can also mean it’s just kids being edgy (kinda like making shitty graffiti for the hell of it)

17. That’s where a Christian was raptured. That’s why it’s important for Christians to be careful not to walk directly under powerlines.

18. I think when I was growing up I asked my brothers and they usually said someone got beat up and they would steal their shoes and throw them up

19. Was common in black area I use to live in, was a combination of a gang warning (certain color), location of drugs (two different color shoes) or some kid got his ass jumped and they threw the losers shoes up there.

20. I was told, its a warning sign that if you aren’t in with the hood, you will get beat up.

21. Nothing in particular. I feel like people think it used to mean “person killed” or “drugs sold here” but like in general it just looks hood so people do it. I used to throw shoes I had onto power lines in college just for fun.

22. Someone got their ass kicked and walked home bare foot.

23. Shit! We did this as kids to our annoying old neighbour down the road, saw it in a movie, had no idea what it meant and we were very bored. That was over 20 years ago… shoes are still there and annoying old neighbour still ok

24. Most people have no clue as to the origin but the tradition started with the invention of overhead powerlines. The very first linemen had “boot saddles” which were essentially leather covers that laced up over their boots. It protected their not so durable work boots from getting torn while climbing the poles in the days before bucket trucks. Since it was much easier to climb down than up, the linemen would remove them before climbing down and hang them over the lines as sort of a marker showing all of the locations they’ve worked on the lines and additionally I have no fucking clue what I’m talking about.

25. Where I grew up it was a way for gangs to mark their territory as there wasn’t a lot of places for graffiti.

26. Where I live, it’s how street gangs mark their territory.

27. Area to power walk through.