You’ve probably seen a pair of sneakers tied together by the shoelaces and thrown up onto a power wire while driving or walking through a neighborhood, though I don’t believe it happens as regularly now as it did when I was a kid. I had no idea there were so many theories about the significance of this practice; I always assumed it was just something the local kids did on occasion.

According to the first theory, soldiers would allegedly discard their boots after completing their training or duties during the fight. Perhaps all other hypotheses are based on this symbolism? Who knows. There is also a common notion that gangs mark their territory and warn other gangs to stay away by throwing shoes up on power lines. However, this hypothesis has not been precisely validated.

Many people believe that shoes hanging from a power wire are the result of children bullying one another. In at least two of the films that spring to memory, neighborhood bullies steal a child’s sneakers and hang them on a power line, leaving the victim with no shoes. Although I’d want to believe that this idea isn’t very powerful, I’m sure it’s been the case in a few bad instances throughout the years.

The belief that people throw their sneakers up on power wires “just because” is maybe the most widely accepted (and one I personally embrace). Perhaps it looks like a fantastic idea to repurpose an old pair of sneakers. People decide to follow suit after seeing the first pair put up there, just like in so many other situations. This struck me as an excellent example of children being children.