Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

The money in the car thing got me thinking...

If you live out of NY, do you ever see the sneakers on the telephone wire? Do they do it in Long Island? You tie the laces together and throw them up so they'll hang from the telephone wire?

I used to see it all the time around Brooklyn, where I raised and used to live.

Is that a NY thing? And does anyone know WTH it means?

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

it used to be a territory thing...I dont know what it means now!!

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

my parents used to tell us it meant that gangs lived there LOL but i doubt that

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

I have been wondering what that meant since I was old enough to look up and notice them. I still see them every once in a while.

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

I didnt but my DH did!

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

i've always wondered what this was about! i see it in the city and LI.

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

When I was in preschool, someone's parents gave my teachers a pair of their kids shoes to throw on the phone wire (I grew up in NYC) - I remember them doing it when we were going to the park and thinking how weird it was!!!

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

In college, it told you which fraternities had weed.

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

Where I work they do this to show where people were killed. It's also gang related as the shoe colors match the gang they belonged to

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

yea i heard its a territory thing and gangs mark their territories by throwing the shoes on the wire.

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

DH told me growing up in Woodside, it meant that person was killed. So they tossed his sneakers up as a "reminder". Who knows really. And yes they have them on the island, they have been all over the place by me at least.

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

No i have never done that.

What does it mean to do that?

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

I used to see it alot as a kid. My friends daughter just did this a couple of months ago. I was like are you kidding?

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

i always had them on my corner in Brooklyn

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

I never did it and I had no idea that it was gang related!

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

Posted by alnem

yea i heard its a territory thing and gangs mark their territories by throwing the shoes on the wire.

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

Posted by medic6809

Where I work they do this to show where people were killed. It's also gang related as the shoe colors match the gang they belonged to

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

I never did it, but when I worked in a rough neighborhood, the kids told me it was a sign of where you could buy drugs.

Recently, while driving in the suburbs, I saw someone's old home telephone hanging from a telephone line. It made me

Message edited 11/15/2007 12:08:18 PM.

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

I've seen it a lot in the Bronx and don't know that it is "gang" related, but I do believe it's a territorial thing and is mostly seen in the "rougher" areas, but has now come to the "nicer" ones as well..so it's more of a copy cat thing I think.

IMO it's silly and looks horrible..and another way of polluting!

Message edited 11/15/2007 12:10:51 PM.

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

wow - learn something everyday!

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

Re: Did you ever throw your sneakers on the telephone wire?

Posted by medic6809

Where I work they do this to show where people were killed. It's also gang related as the shoe colors match the gang they belonged to