The Mystery of Flying Kicks is a short documentary that explores why, exactly, people toss sneakers over power lines (aka “shoefiti”):
A quick list of claims people make about what it actually means: A sign that someone has lost his virginity, a bullying tactic, a mafia signal to the police, code for where to buy drugs, a mark of gang territory, a tribute to fallen gang members, a graffiti-like practice to mark your street, “total bullshit,” a sign that, in a given neighborhood, “people can do whatever they feel like and there’s no recognition of law or decency,” something done by food-service employees when they graduate to a better job, or a way to get rid of old shoes that are too beat up to give away.
The Dish 