Random hanging pairs of shoes on power lines has always been a source of confusion for me. I attempted to solve this mystery by calling the Sacramento Police Department, PG&E and SMUD. According to Sgt. Darrell Martin, the hanging shoes are not a sign of gang activity, at least not from local gangs. Brian Swanson, spokesperson for PG&E, told me that the hanging shoes could cause two major problems: 1. The shoes can weigh the wires down which can impact traffic. Tall trucks such as garbage trucks may snag the wires and cause power outages. 2. The shoes can also bring the two wires together which can short circuit the wires and cause damage to the electrical equipment on power poles, suc