# "Somebody tied rubber gloves to our trees!" - Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 28, 2012, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234 "2012-04-28T14:51:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![ChickenLegs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@ChickenLegs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChickenLegs)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/61 "2012-04-29T11:37:23Z")
> [@Doctor\_Who](#): > > Hope your living room is as long as that range. How far do you think that was? Heh. I suspected you might notice that. It was far. But then again, the guy was naked. We agree, so I’ll stop beating on this. Good luck, original poster. I still think it’s the teenage boys. You might consider some capsicum pepper spray for you, your wife, and the oldest, just in case. ---
**Author:** ![flyboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4da419/32.png) [@flyboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flyboy)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/62 "2012-04-29T15:20:59Z")
> [@ChickenLegs](#): > > Heh. I suspected you might notice that. It was far. But then again, the guy was naked. > > We agree, so I’ll stop beating on this. > > Good luck, original poster. I still think it’s the teenage boys. You might consider some capsicum pepper spray for you, your wife, and the oldest, just in case. I understand the “do or don’t” when it comes to lethal and non-lethal rounds. I would like to say, **Chicken Legs,** that I’d take what you have to say seriously if I saw you actually get hit by a bean bag round at a range of ten feet, not drop, and still be functional. It’s really moot, though–when I think about it, I want some spray since it’d be dark and I don’t want to have to be very accurate. I’m still in the same position–I will not have lethal rounds in the house if I buy a shotgun. Period. But I’m not convinced in any way that a round of rock salt or bird shot is not as good as pepper spray. I’ve seen (on TV–not in real life) guys functional after pepper spray. Haven’t seen it for anyone getting shot by anything from a shotgun. All I need to do is put the guy incapacitated on the ground for a few seconds. I don’t trust pepper spray to do that. Not only that, but if the neighboring teens know I’ve got a shotgun in the house, that’s some good Info Ops in and of itself and may solve the problem. The general consensus seems to be it’s a) not nefarious and b) the teens (probably across the street, but possibly other unknown). Thanks to everyone for replying! It definitely helps. ---
**Author:** ![BottledBlondJeanie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/0ea827/32.png) [@BottledBlondJeanie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BottledBlondJeanie)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/63 "2012-04-29T16:25:22Z")
Betting it’s the kids, too. This is especially true if your dog has free range over the inside of your house or were outside at night and didn’t raise a ruckus. And, as a several gun owner, don’t go out and get one. Go to a gun store, take a basic class and try out what guns they suggest. If you still want one, purchase. Knee-jerk gun purchases don’t usually work well. But, I feel quite safe knowing I have mine. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/64 "2012-04-29T17:40:05Z")
Teens in the area? Is it close to Prom Night? Scavenger Hunt? As a gun owner, I would suggest strongly to not go out and buy a shotgun. That’s just not how it is done. If you do feel threatened, get some pepper spray. ---
**Author:** ![BottledBlondJeanie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/0ea827/32.png) [@BottledBlondJeanie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BottledBlondJeanie)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/65 "2012-04-29T17:51:29Z")
About that subject verb agreement grammary stuff in my last post. Ignore. Have I mentioned how much I hate this damn phone? ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/66 "2012-04-29T18:14:13Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > I’m not even an idiotic teen anymore and I’m only dissuaded from suggesting that my wife staple surgical gloves (on sale at Harbor Freight Tools!) to her cousin’s tree because she’d do it and she can be tried as an adult. She once left stale deviled eggs on her cousin’s driveway. Another time she had a “put it in water and watch it grow” alien that looked like a misshapen fetus, so she added some red food coloring to the water and left the jar on the sidewalk in front of a church that had a display of white crosses symbolizing the number of children aborted each day. Um.. is there any chance I could marry your wife? Just wondering 🙂 And yeah, OP: it’s kids. Or possibly **dropzone** ’s wife. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/67 "2012-04-29T20:13:44Z")
> [@Arabella\_Flynn](#): > > I second **ducati** ’s suggestion of a camera. I certainly understand wanting to know who, just so you can be sure it’s just the idiots across the street, and the camera would accomplish that handily. I third it. Got Mrs. Plant one when I was courting her again. Lots of need raccoon and (o’)possum scenes in the woods during the night, and the Mysterious Creature Under the House. I borrowed it for surveillance for the house. No bad guys, but lots of wildlife. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/68 "2012-04-29T21:37:15Z")
I think wildlife cameras have a flash. A person would se the flash and destroy the camera. Consider that when buying. I would love to hear of any resolution of this. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/69 "2012-04-29T21:45:14Z")
The wife says that it’s not likely to be burglars marking the house. The only markings the police see routinely are for drug dealers’ favorite spots, and they use shoes tied together and tossed over phone wires. She thinks it’s just a prank. The cool kids these days aren’t using toilet paper anymore; the in thing is hundreds of plastic forks stabbed into interesting patterns, but they have seen things tied in trees in the area (dozens of condoms, in one case). ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/70 "2012-04-30T03:06:43Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > The only markings the police see routinely are for drug dealers’ favorite spots, and they use shoes tied together and tossed over phone wires. So why do they leave them there on Markham street, to catch dealers? There’s been a pair at Markham and Kavanaugh for a year. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/71 "2012-04-30T03:18:01Z")
911? Buy a gun?? You’ve got to be kidding me. When is the next Over-Reaction Hall of Fame induction? mmm ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/72 "2012-04-30T03:52:41Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > The wife says that it’s not likely to be burglars marking the house. The only markings the police see routinely are for drug dealers’ favorite spots, and they use shoes tied together and tossed over phone wires. > > She thinks it’s just a prank. The cool kids these days aren’t using toilet paper anymore; the in thing is hundreds of plastic forks stabbed into interesting patterns, but they have seen things tied in trees in the area (dozens of condoms, in one case). Shoes on power/phone wires. > **[Do Sneakers Hanging from Power Lines Carry a Secret Message?](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-secret-language-of-sneakers/)** > > There's no one right explanation for why people practice 'shoefiti' or shoe tossing. Snopes fact-checks the legends. ---
**Author:** ![LegendHasit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/legendhasit/32/8246_2.png) [@LegendHasit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LegendHasit)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/73 "2012-04-30T06:06:18Z")
> [@](#): > > It sounds like a message to pick up after your dog. I second that. Most annoyed people have no inclination to pick up and return your dog’s poop. And a plastic bag in the tree just wouldn’t be the same. ---
**Author:** ![ChickenLegs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@ChickenLegs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChickenLegs)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/74 "2012-04-30T12:56:33Z")
> [@flyboy](#): > > I understand the “do or don’t” when it comes to lethal and non-lethal rounds. I would like to say, **Chicken Legs,** that I’d take what you have to say seriously if I saw you actually get hit by a bean bag round at a range of ten feet, not drop, and still be functional. It’s really moot, though–when I think about it, I want some spray since it’d be dark and I don’t want to have to be very accurate. > > I’m still in the same position–I will not have lethal rounds in the house if I buy a shotgun. Period. But I’m not convinced in any way that a round of rock salt or bird shot is not as good as pepper spray. I’ve seen (on TV–not in real life) guys functional after pepper spray. Haven’t seen it for anyone getting shot by anything from a shotgun. All I need to do is put the guy incapacitated on the ground for a few seconds. I don’t trust pepper spray to do that. Not only that, but if the neighboring teens know I’ve got a shotgun in the house, that’s some good Info Ops in and of itself and may solve the problem. Birdshot at indoor ranges is commonly lethal. (And certainly as good as pepper spray.) Regarding beanbags, if you understand how firearms work, you’ll quickly understand why they’re not a good choice for defense. The energy is the same on both sides of the gun. Bullets or shot produce damage. They achieve this by penetrating and damaging vital organs, or creating blood loss. The energy on the shootee’s side is concentrated on a small surface area (the bullet.) On the shooter’s side, the same energy is spread over a larger area: the hands and shoulder. Bean bags have a larger surface area, therefore don’t penetrate, do very little damage, and rely on pain as the wounding mechanism. However, if you’re dead set against “lethal” defense tools, you have pretty limited options. I still vote for pepper spray (and carry it myself, in addition to handgun, while in grizzly country.) ---
**Author:** ![ChickenLegs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@ChickenLegs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChickenLegs)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/75 "2012-04-30T13:30:44Z")
What’s the reason for wanting “non-lethal” again? Is it driven a moral thing about killing anyone, including attackers, or concern for the safety of your children? If it’s the second one, the problem is easier to solve. ---
**Author:** ![flyboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4da419/32.png) [@flyboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flyboy)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/76 "2012-04-30T16:36:47Z")
I don’t want the kids in the house with lethal ammo. I have no reservations about shooting an intruder. And I’m not a stranger to firearms–I’ve qualified on shotgun, M-16, and handgun. But I don’t work with them on the job, have never owned a firearm, and can’t call myself proficient. My thought process is simple: Can own shotgun. Cannot own lethal ammo. This leaves owning a shotgun with less than lethal ammo or not owning and going the pepper spray route. Pepper spray seems to have a higher potential to leave the intruder mobile and dangerous. The shotgun with birdshot or rubber pellets seems much more likely to drop the intruder. I’m willing to live with the threat of a stunned/injured guy on the ground in my home, whereas I am not willing to live with lethal rounds and a firearm in my home. I’m also very aware this thought process may be naive. I also understand how lethal “non-lethal” ammo can be. **dracoi** -Thanks for checking into it. ---
**Author:** ![just\_some\_guy5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@just\_some\_guy5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/just_some_guy5)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/77 "2012-04-30T16:50:53Z")
Flyboy - did you check with your neighbors to see if any of them had a similar experience? If it happened to my home, I probably wouldn’t think twice about it and would have instead simply taken down the gloves. However, this sounds like something I might have done to my neighbors as a stupid teenager looking to do stupid stuff. Particularly if I didn’t have toilet paper handy. Of course, best case scenario would be that a surgeon facing a malpractice suit is hiding his treasure on your property. ---
**Author:** ![flyboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4da419/32.png) [@flyboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flyboy)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/78 "2012-04-30T17:07:58Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > 911? Buy a gun?? You’ve got to be kidding me. > > When is the next Over-Reaction Hall of Fame induction? > > mmm Well, that’s one of the reasons I threw this to you guys–to see if I was overreacting. I’m all about cooling off and resetting my gyros; however, I was alarmed enough to consider the firearm route sooner rather than waiting because I feared waiting would put me in the situation of having a guy prowling around outside this past weekend and me holding a baseball bat, wishing I’d went out and gotten something better. And for the third time, the 911 issue has been discussed upthread! ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/79 "2012-04-30T17:17:15Z")
I’m voting teenagers. ---
**Author:** ![flyboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4da419/32.png) [@flyboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flyboy)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234/80 "2012-04-30T17:59:46Z")
WE HAVE ANSWERS!!! Just checked my voicemail and there was a message from my property manager from this morning (I’d emailed him Friday about this). He was at our property sometime Thursday with a gardener discussing that row of pine trees and getting rid of some of them. Apparently the gardener didn’t have anything to mark the trees they’d decided on and so used rubber gloves because he didn’t have whatever he usually uses. He was very apologetic and says he didn’t realize it would be alarming. I’d discounted the gardener possibility because what gardener uses surgical rubber gloves, much less to mark things with? And there was nothing about the trees that would warrant pruning them alone or removing them alone–there are other trees that look diseased which I’d get rid of, whereas the gloved trees look healthy. Plus, the property manager is really good about letting us know in advance of any plans that affect our property. Aaaaanyway, sorry for the false alarm. Thanks everyone for helping–especially the firearm advice. Now that I feel like a complete ass, back to Defcon 5, move along, nothing to see here… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-tied-rubber-gloves-to-our-trees-why/620234.md?page=5)