Aibu to leave shoes on a rack outside my apartment

[Shoeracklady]

I'll include lots of details so as not to drop feed.
New build property in a tourist resort. DP and I are the only year round residents, all the other owners use their apartments as second homes (so have fewer possessions here.)
We have been here for 6 months and have met most of the lovely neighbours so we are very happy here. DPs parents have decided to buy the flat opposite us too which will be full on when they are here but nice.
A new neighbour arrived yesterday and as they were standing in their doorway as I walked past I introduced myself and said nice to meet you etc. New neighbour's first words to me (after his name) were "So you're the one with the shoes, they're not going to be there permanently are they?"

I was quite taken aback by his rudeness and abruptness and mumbled that we might put a cupboard there at some point.

So AIBU to keep my shoes on a nice bamboo rack outside my apartment? They don't affect the new neighbour in anyway other than the fact he can see them when he walks into his flat. They don't smell. Can the sight of shoes really be so offensive?

Other apartments in the building also have shoe racks outside as well as things like umbrella holders.

Photo included as well as a diagram to show that shoe rack is neither a fire hazard (it is in an alcove) nor in anyway in the neighbours way.

I could possibly find space to store the shoes inside but it would be a much bigger inconvenience to me than that caused to the neighbour for having to see our shoes.

I have lived in a number of apartments and houses OP and one management company provided fire extinguishers which were mounted in the kitchen which made sense.
Anyway since then I have always bought my own fire extinguisher kept in my apartment kitchen(easy to get to quickly) and just gives peace of mind.
You sound like a lovely neighbour and I think you have got a new CFN tbh especially with the CFN parking!

I always thought the place where skis are kept is spelt calves so thank you for educating me before I embarrassed myself.

Germans would leave shoes on a rack outside their door no problem. What nationality is the guy? And what nationality are most of the building?

Eye sore and I would be less than impressed if I bought a flat to find someone's shoes outside all the time.

I would spend time getting the builder to put electricity in or a communal boot room with heaters as it will be a nightmare otherwise!

Yabu

I live in an apartment and truthfully I find this really weird. None of my neighbours in all my years of living in apartments has kept furniture in the corridor, nor would the building regulations permit it.

Yes, electricity in the caves is definitely the best idea. Heated area for boots and dripping ski jackets etc. It will repay itself in reduced wear and tear to the communal areas from people tramping about with wet, dripping outdoor stuff!

OP, I think at your next residents' meeting you should definitely have fire safety on the agenda. Many people are unaware of the dangers of leaving seemingly innocuous items in escape corridors, but to do so severely compromises the safety of the building's occupants in a fire. I would suggest that you engage the services of a qualified fire safety consultant to carry out a full fire risk assessment of the building and provide you with a set of safety procedures/protocols that every resident must be required to follow.