shoefiti n. pairs of shoes, with laces tied, thrown over power lines, trees, and elsewhere. Editorial Note: There’s a shoefiti photo pool at Flickr. Etymological Note: This term appears to have been coined by Ed Kohler. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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Looks right to me.
I have always been under the impression, justly or not, that shoes thrown over powerlines were an indication that a drug-dealer was nearby… Perhaps in the mid-west there are other indications, but it is unclear what they might be as I am firmly planted in the Northeast.
I’ve read that, but I’ve also seen that explained as an urban myth. Several police departments have said that, as far as they’re concerned, the shoes are nothing more than mischief, since drug dealers a) don’t need to advertise and b) don’t want to be that visible.
I think if they’re drug dealing related, it can’t be in such an obvious way that cops could find out which door to knock on for a drug bust. More likely, it helps drug buyers know where drugs are sold and sellers can approach people who don’t look like cops.
It’s definitely not accurate to assume all shoes on powerlines are drug related.
I am a true-in-the-dye fan of any neo-word that ends with the suffix ‘-fiti (as in graffiti).
This word was a great addup to my word-robe! Thanks.
Some? Here:
_ROOFITI_GRAVANITI ‘or Gravanity’_GRUFFITI_CARFITI_
WHOREFITI_SCRATCHITI and some other obscure ‘streetologies’.
Concerning being drug-related:
I couldn’t find any ref to that word in UD (urbandictionary.com), but my best guess is that it’s unheard of.
Dig.
—-;
In my town, shoes over the wire means bad little kids have been in the street picking on other kids. My husband is in jail right now for possesion and dealing charges. Unfortunetly, I know all too well that shoefiti is just a mark of territory by youngsters and is not drug related around here. Heck, when I was a kid we tied laces and threw them up too.