While this phenomenon doesn’t seem as common today as it did when I was a kid, you’ve probably walked or driven through a neighborhood and spotted a pair of sneakers tied together by their laces and thrown onto a power line.
I always thought this was just something kids in the neighborhood did for fun, but I had no idea how many theories exist about what it actually means.
One theory dates back to wartime, when soldiers supposedly tossed their boots into the air after finishing their training or completing their post. Perhaps this tradition inspired many of the other theories.
Another common belief is that tossing shoes on power lines is a method used by gangs to mark their territory and send a warning to rival groups. However, there’s no solid evidence to support this theory.