Here is another thought!

http://askville.amazon.com/people-throw-shoes-power-lines/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=9704778

"It is a bully tactic."
by: Manimal on May 13 2008 (1 month ago)

The bully pushes the smaller kid down and takes his shoes. The bully ties the laces together and tosses them up to the transmission lines. This is usually done in front of other kids to maximize the humiliation. The smaller kid must walk home without shoes, and explain to their parents how they lost their shoes. It is not considered violence since the victim is not physically harmed. The shoes remain hanging as a reminder of the humiliation.



The shoes can never be recovered by the victim, since touching the transmission lines is very dangerous. It can also cause serious problems if there are other transmission lines very close by. Winds can cause the shoes to swing and contact other power lines or transformers. This can cause short circuits, fires, black outs, and other damage. Power companies have special tools and techniques for clearing debris like this.



I hope this helps.

I thought kids did it in the hope of catching two lines at once, so they could sit back and watch the sparks.
But are modern kids really that stupid??????

some people must throw dead bats up there

Just found this on Wiki

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_tossing

Fascinating stuff.

I just moved from Perth to Sydney (bloody work) and I'd love to know where the nearest set of shoes on power lines is near me if it indicates someone with a smoke!! Would appreciate a pm if anyone is in the know!!

Sorry Laurie and Pat - not the place I know

Very subtle approach Harry. like your style, I'm sure someone can help.

at manly their is a dead end that always for at least 20 yrs has hundreds of shoes on it if drug dealing why has it continued if bullying why are kids 4 so many years going down this dead end and being bullied the wires is the answer they swing low and the kids throw there shoes up i asked this to me is a more intriguing problem why did my council erect the under ground power protest signs like bury power poles not people throughout my suburb when we have underground power already and why did they spend more money removing them 2 weeks later and i mean they were only 100mtrs apart on the semi main Rd's there was hundreds

Im glad we dont have power lines in our street

ka43 said...

Seems to be a resurgence on the shoes on power lines at the moment on the northern beaches of Sydney. There are at least 4 pairs around my suburb.
Havent heard the drug dealer one before. I always thought it was just dumb kids being dumb kids.
They seem to be there for ages too. I dont think Energy Aust are too busy either[}:)]
Although I did see a kiter let go of his whole rig completely the other week at Canton Beach. Dead onshore and it cleared the power lines and trees to attach itself to a house. The kiters came back with it about 1/2 an hour later.
Oh god, what have I gone and done!!!!!!!

My kids mentioned the drug dealer thing to me sometime ago - sounds like typical urban myth. I'm sure the Coppers would be onto that if it were true.

Why do they then? - because they can.

sarahcanada said...

apparently in the ghettos of america when you see shoes up on the lines its supposed to indicate where a person was murdered in the street.

i know thats what it means there but WA is not as gangster

I dunno.
Greenroom popped a cap in ma ass once.

I frequently pop a cap on my head.......Ive never seen dunlop volleys up there, its allways those stupid trendy big basketball sneakers. That should give us a clue ???

hah my friend knows greenie and from what i heard.. he wouldnt be capable to
hard to be agro when on the greens the word.

anyways.. drugs dealers or murders.. i havent seen any shoes hanging from lines as of yet.. maybe i am in too posh of areas

anyways.. drugs dealers or murders.. i havent seen any shoes hanging from lines as of yet.. maybe i am in too posh of areas

Jonni Kison aint to far away from your area , in my area [ the getto`s ] we are just surrounded by apprentices learning from mistakes like shoes in the power line add .

in kiwi land it states the precence of a tinnie house ... foils for us ausies .

It's a wonder we don't see more kites (big ones) hanging from powerlines.

easty said...

You should drive around Port Moresby (well, maybe not if you've got better things to do), shoes dangling all over the joint.

Yeah Easty, it is pretty endemic up there. Not sure if it's the bully thing or just a rite of passage. Maybe shoes that don't fit go up.

don't anyone tell them about the coat hangers though.....one of those will blow every transformer for miles!!