We saw the shoes on overhead wires often when we lived in The Big Smoke (Sydney, Oz), but since moving to The Small Smoke have only seen one pair. Obviously folks hereabouts hang onto their shoes and keep wearing them, while there is still wear left; they don't want to throw away a perfectly good pair of shoes. Just think of those poor soles - sorry, souls - who have no shoes.

Cheers
JennieG