Shoes slung over Gloucester power lines... but what does it mean?
IN some countries, shoes slung over power lines signal a drug-dealing hotspot or the passing of a gang member.
But what do the two pairs of shoes hanging from an overhead wire in Northgate Street symbolise?
Are they the result of a drunken night out, or is it something more concerning?
Julian Smith, manager of Cotter's Bar, which is situated beneath the shoes, has the answer.
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He said: "We had one gentleman who came in a week or so ago who bought a new pair of shoes and left his old ones behind.
"The thing is, his old ones were only half worn so I thought, being charitable, that I'd leave them on the wall at the back of the shop for anyone who might want to pick them up.
"The next day they were up on the wire!"
Mr Smith, who has been managing his shoe shop in Gloucester for the past 40 years, said the shoes have created a bit of a stir.
He added: "We have had some people in asking, I guess it is quite ironic that there are shoes hanging outside a shoe shop.
"But we don't sell drugs, I can assure you. We just sell shoes here!
"Some joker just thought it would be funny I guess. Now we need a strong gale to get them down!"
How the second pair of shoes got there is a mystery.
The practice of throwing shoes over lines is sometimes known as "shoefiti". Some theories, particularly in the USA, are that shoes on power lines indicate a place where drugs are sold on the street; or that they mark the border between rival gang territories.
A Gloucestershire police spokesman said: "There is no intelligence to suggest it has this meaning in Gloucestershire. Across the world it's believed that 'shoe tossing' is done by young people with their old shoes as either a practical joke or simply as a way of disposing of footwear."
Comments
by FreeRadical1
Monday, October 22 2012, 4:45PM
“Dave, the article says two pairs, and if you look carefully at the photos you can see that the second photo shows different shoes.”
by gallopingbear
Monday, October 22 2012, 3:07PM
“Thay actually got a police quote on this.”
by Faire_La_Moue
Monday, October 22 2012, 2:30PM
“Shoes slung over Gloucester power lines... but what does it mean?
That someone's walking home in their socks obvs.
This isn't South Central L.A....this is gloucestershire!”
by gallopingbear
Monday, October 22 2012, 12:38PM
“They symbolise a slow day at The Citizen office.”
by RoseHillWR
Monday, October 22 2012, 11:03AM
“I never knew this - there are some down the road from where I live.... eurrgh scumbags.”
by The_Omen
Monday, October 22 2012, 10:47AM
“Dave have walk up northgate st, there are two pairs, the ones pictured and some trainers”
by Dave_t10
Monday, October 22 2012, 2:06AM
“Erm, 2 pair's of shoes????
Looks like 1 pair to me, did the writer get confused that 2 shoes = 1 pair?”
by The_Omen
Sunday, October 21 2012, 2:00PM
“Blatant case of free advertising for the shoe shop, he doesnt sell drugs but he now sells more shoes than he ever has! Nice 1! Mr Smith:-(”
by thomas1996
Sunday, October 21 2012, 1:04PM
“I thought if you see shoes hanging from telephone lines it means you are travelling through a council estate.”
by cheltdav1
Saturday, October 20 2012, 8:07PM
“thats where I left my shoes!!”