Tied Shoes thrown over ESB wires

Gandhi · 01-07-2006 04:39PM

Those stupid things are all over the place in Philly. They even have a pair in the starting logo for "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia".

I had heard about the drug thing, but here the story was that it would mark the border between two drug gangs territories. I've since heard that's an urban legend, presumably brought on by the fact that they are more commonplace in rougher neighbourhoods, particularly near where a group of teenage boys are hanging around.

As for marking where drugs can be bought, I'd imagine the cops would be rounding dealers up like shooting fish in a barrel if they were throwing markers up above where they are dealing.

Good old snopes lets us down a bit on this one, giving no definitive answer.

http://www.snopes.com/crime/gangs/sneakers.htm

monkeyfudge · 01-07-2006 04:43PM

Doomspell wrote:

I have seen one or to around cork but I went to Bristol recently and we went to the park,for a walk. There was a huge tree and ESB wires going around it, sure thats fine nothing out of the ordinary but on every single branch there was a pair of shoes,tied by there laces. They were all over the wires too.

What are the ESB doing putting up wires in Bristol? Are they in on the shoe conspiracy?

slipss · 01-07-2006 04:49PM

GospelGroupie wrote:

Folks,

In Swords, as I understand, the whole "throwing a pair of shoes onto the ESB wires" thing is a kind of turf-marking for some drug dealer.... kind of like the two graffiti-painting gangs that are competing for wall-space around the town, marking their turf.

Anyone know anything about this? Is this just a Swords thing or is everywhere that I see a pair of shoes thrown into the esb wires likely to be a dealers patch?

It's a mistery.

Yeah traditionally its done by heroin dealers so junkies know where to go for smack. But the whole thing became a bit obsilite (sc) since everyone has mobiles nowadawys. In the 80's in particular this is how junkies would find heroin if they were in an area they didn't know.

Nehpets · 01-07-2006 06:09PM

What do socks wrapped around things mean?

Dermington · 01-07-2006 06:49PM

Class A drugs available here...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Nehpets wrote:

What do socks wrapped around things mean?

Something is bleeding.

netwhizkid · 01-07-2006 07:07PM

I saw this in a fairly rough part of Brooklyn last year while on holidays in New York, (I was staying in Queens though) My cousin who lives there pointed it out to me and said it was the guys shoes who had been gunned down sometime that week due to Drugs. It generally seems to mean that you are entering a druggie area.

Red Alert · 01-07-2006 07:09PM

There's one particular one in ballinteer - hope it's not a 3phase overhead line as the next time the wind blows we'll have no power! (think it's only single phase with a few wires).

Sofaspud · 01-07-2006 10:40PM

I think it is about drugs, Where I live, there's recently been a big drug problem, only staring a few years ago. A couple of months ago, there was a pair of shoes on the electrical cables on my street, where a lot of them live. These were probably taken down by some of the lder people (a lot of biddies on the street too), then a few weeks later I saw a similar pair, right around a corner, leading onto my street, tied around a low branch. basically "you take down our shoes, we'll put them back up elsewhere! that'll sure show you!"

crosstownk · 01-07-2006 11:00PM

I've heard thats it 'drugs for sale' - years ago.

I always wondered how many attempts it took to actually get the shoes up there..............

phreneticus · 02-07-2006 01:15PM

naive. it's naive.

things like this bother me.

RoundyMooney · 02-07-2006 04:55PM

Red Alert wrote:

There's one particular one in ballinteer - hope it's not a 3phase overhead line as the next time the wind blows we'll have no power! (think it's only single phase with a few wires).

Eh?

weeder · 02-07-2006 05:08PM

theres a few here in gorey means drugs too

legofsalmon · 03-07-2006 02:49PM

There's a pair hanging from a tree near where I live...

Is that the sign for natural alternatives?

FillSpectre · 03-07-2006 03:43PM

This is one of those things where it never meant what it now might mean in certain circumstances.
If it is mentioned in "Training Day" it may have become "fact" now.

http://www.snopes.com/crime/gangs/sneakers.htm

It has never meant drugs in Dublin when I was growing up when there were many shoes hanging off power lines. It may mean it now but I really doubt it as it has to be one of the most useless indicators to get your drugs. Always easier to ask the shifty guy.

Siogfinsceal · 03-07-2006 04:22PM

It def means drugs for sale - originated in the usa far as I know but its an international thing now

Degsy · 03-07-2006 04:32PM

When i was about six we used to knot our old runners together when they were wrecked and feck them up onto wires to get them to stay there.It was nothing whatsover to do with drugs in thise days(early seventies).Why a wandering drug addict would feel comforted bya pairof shoes ona wire in a strange area is hard to fathom.I mean do the size of the shoes correspond to the number of the house that's selling the drugs.We used to get tennis balls as wella nd join them together with catgut to make "bolas",occasionaly they'd end up on the wires to..what is this a signal for?Shoeshine available?

FillSpectre · 03-07-2006 04:42PM

Siogfinsceal wrote:

It def means drugs for sale - originated in the usa far as I know but its an international thing now

How does it help people then? How do you find your drug dealer now you can see this really informative sign?

If you want drugs in Dublin you need a mobile phone as that is how the junkies do it now. So what drugs are people wandering the streets to buy looking out for shoes hanging from the line?

How do you know it is "def" a sign now? Did a friend tell you or is it how you get drugs?

Tha Gopher · 04-07-2006 06:29PM

Drugs for sale, gang territory, thisthatandtheother, I find it funny that lads of 14/15 beatin up 10 year olds and throwin their shoes over the wires creates so much paranoia. re the drugs for sale thing: how many dealers do you know who, if a stranger knocks on the door having seen some shoes hanging around the wires and asks for coke, will run into their stash and get it and be happy with their easy money? If I told someone to knock on Number 12 on X Street and ask the occupant to sort him, knowing myself that the guy was selling, he would get told that nobody at the house has any involvement.

If he persisted he would get a smack and told to fcuk off.

Gillo · 04-07-2006 11:32PM

DaveMcG wrote:

hmmmm... didn't know about that...

How does one avail of these drugs? Ask the shoes?

You've got to get a foot in (with the dealer)

Chakar · 04-07-2006 11:51PM

I was once offered drugs to try, I didn't though and this happened near these shoes on the lines.Dangerous alright.

Savman · 05-07-2006 12:07AM

Actually the drugs are grown inside the shoes by little elves and fed down to dealers at night

SpAcEd OuT · 05-07-2006 12:14AM

Basically in countries in South America and North America it means they're are drugs availiable, In Ireland some kids told me that whenever they beat people they steal their shoes to throw up on the wires in their area to show to people how ''tough'' their area is, its like a competition between two nearby estates to get the most shoes up

FX Meister · 05-07-2006 12:22AM

RoundyMooney wrote:

It does.

I have them removed wherever I find them, just to piss off the scobes.

And how do you have them removed? Do you command a fleet of cherry pickers and dwarves with scissors?

Lemming · 05-07-2006 12:28AM

FillSpectre wrote:

This is one of those things where it never meant what it now might mean in certain circumstances.
If it is mentioned in "Training Day" it may have become "fact" now.

http://www.snopes.com/crime/gangs/sneakers.htm

It has never meant drugs in Dublin when I was growing up when there were many shoes hanging off power lines. It may mean it now but I really doubt it as it has to be one of the most useless indicators to get your drugs. Always easier to ask the shifty guy.

Well funnily enough ... a neighbour of mine works for the ESB and has done for many, many a year. And guess what he said? It means "drugs available". Apparently common knowledge within the ESB for years. He has them taken down as soon as he sees them.

I guess he watched Training Day too ... :rolleyes:

FillSpectre · 05-07-2006 08:05AM

Lemming wrote:

Well funnily enough ... a neighbour of mine works for the ESB and has done for many, many a year. And guess what he said? It means "drugs available". Apparently common knowledge within the ESB for years. He has them taken down as soon as he sees them.

I guess he watched Training Day too ... :rolleyes:

There are lots of urban legends. Can you explain how it works? Do you know how people get drugs in Dublin now? Looking arond for boots won't help

As mentioned kids do it.

Kiera · 05-07-2006 09:29AM

SpAcEd OuT wrote:

In Ireland some kids told me that whenever they beat people they steal their shoes to throw up on the wires in their area to show to people how ''tough'' their area is, its like a competition between two nearby estates to get the most shoes up

I thought it meant this too. Have never heard of it being related to drugs.

Emmo · 05-07-2006 10:27AM

well as I was cycling home yesterday evening I saw pair hanging away like goodo and there under then was a bloke known locally as a dealer!

Maybe its coincidence.

Emmo

Sparky · 05-07-2006 10:34AM

I always assumed it meant that there is drugs available to get in the area. But in other cases I would say it's kids messing.

Ive seen them in many films, The fast and the furious has them, Training day etc.
I assume it relates to gang areas in the US.

FillSpectre · 05-07-2006 10:43AM

Emmo wrote:

well as I was cycling home yesterday evening I saw pair hanging away like goodo and there under then was a bloke known locally as a dealer!

Maybe its coincidence.

Emmo

LOL

OK it means drug dealers if there is a guy underneath them?

What makes drug dealers noticeable is the fact they are drug dealers walking about looking like drug dealers not shoes over their head. Most operate on a mobile phone now.

ronano · 05-07-2006 11:35AM

connundrum wrote:

he would also have to wear the shoes for a full week - WITHOUT LACES!

Scary stuff

That's down right cold,first guns and now this

/Joe Duffy "tut tut tut tut tut tut tut tut tut"

Tied Shoes thrown over ESB wires

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