Why are trainers hung over power lines?

Gang rivalry? Drug sales? School leavers? Virginity loss? The urban myths are endless – and we’ve heard the lot of them. But what actually is the reason behind shoes ending up on power lines? We dig into the history of this peculiar tradition…

Why are trainers hung over power lines?

Despite the proliferation of pumps draped over telephone lines and electricity cables, there’s no definitive reason for the shoe slinging.

One of the more popular theories is of gangs marking out their territory or sending a coded message to a rival gang that they’re not overly happy. It’s reportedly more common in the United States with a 2015 story from Chicago radio station WBEZ quoting a ‘high-ranking member’ of the gang ‘Bloods’, who said that the shoe-throwing was intended as a notice to rival groups. Or it could be that this is an area where you can quite easily buy drugs.

Whether those were the drivers behind shoes and trainers popping up in various locations around the idyllic Suffolk town of Bury St Edmonds in 2019 is doubtful. Suffolk police said they were aware of the incidents but did not believe the shoes were “indicative of drug dealing or other criminality”. Instead, the long arm of the law – sadly not long enough to remove said shoes – pointed the finger of blame at pranksters.

Trainers hang from a telephone wire with a red brick building and blue sky behind — Trainers hang from a telephone wire outside the stadium during a match between Everton and Manchester City at Goodison Park (credit: Getty Images)

Other theories mooted are that it’s due to finishing school, someone moving away or losing one’s virginity. It can be in memory of someone in the neighbourhood dying or simply down to youngsters’ high jinks.

What’s clearer is that it’s not a misdirected marriage tradition from years gone by whereby the authority of the bride was passed from the father to the bridegroom. In his 1895 book ‘Folklore’, James Crombie devotes 24 pages to ‘Shoe-Throwing at Weddings’, writing that, “Whereas we find the custom of throwing rice, or some other cereal, prevalent in almost every land, we find show-throwing practised in those parts of the world inhabited by Englishmen or directly influenced by them, among them the wandering Gypsies of Transylvania.”

Artist Pejac turned the whole shoe-hanging phenomenon on its head in 2016 with his gravity-defying installation on the streets of London. Titled ‘Downside Up’, the Spanish artist’s collection featured a collection of shoes and old sneakers hanging from lampposts but, as per the headline giveaway, in reverse with the shoes appearing to float skywards.

“You do not have to be an artist or a child to have a different view of reality,” the artist said. “This work is for those who are looking to let their imagination drift away with gravity. Or possibly more for all those who have forgotten to do so.”

Pairs of shoes hang on a telephone wire in Wadebridge, Cornwall with a blue sky background — Pairs of shoes hang on a telephone wire in Wadebridge, Cornwall (credit: Getty Images)

Is throwing shoes on telephone lines illegal? Will you get into trouble?

Will flinging your Nikes over a telephone cable lead to any criminal recompense? It could be considered a form of littering or illegal dumping. That charge could also change if someone tries to receive the shoes, especially if it’s over a power line. Then, under general safety laws, the thrower – if they were ever found – could be liable for causing a public nuisance, endangering safety or criminal damage if someone gets hurt. Maybe just keep them laced to your feet.