Tulsa Farmers' Market Parking Mishap Leads To Towed Cars, Big Bills

A day at the Tulsa Farmers' Market ended with towed cars and big bills for some over the weekend.

Visitors say an eye doctor's office near the market decided to tow away several cars from its parking lot.

Organizers of the farmers market say the business called MyEyeDr. hasn't been open on Saturdays in the 6 years the market has been in Kendall Whittier Square, but this last Saturday, they were, which led to confusion and surprise for many visitors.

Video shows cars being towed away from the doctor's office Saturday, a big surprise to folks visiting the nearby market.

"Did our shopping and socializing with the folks in the market. We're going back to our car, and oddly enough, there's our car on the back of a tow truck heading the opposite direction," said Attorney Tim Gilpin.

In addition to his, Gilpin says several cars were being towed that morning from a lot that's been used before with no issues.

"We'd been parking there literally for years without a problem, and there was no warning, there wasn't a sign, there wasn't anything," said Gilpin.

Organizers of the Tulsa Farmer's Market say they didn't know ahead of the event that parking there was a problem but were told by a police officer around 9:30 in the morning that cars would soon be towed. The farmer's market made an announcement over a speaker, but it was too late for many people parked there.

"There are people there who cannot afford to come up with 352 dollars and 63 cents on the spot, so that's what worries me," said Gilpin.

In response to backlash on social media, a post from MyEyeDr. says the business had to remove the cars to make way for patients. The post says MyEyeDr. will compensate anyone whose car was towed if they contact "patient relations@myeyedr.com.

News On 6 talked to Tulsa police, and they said it's legal for the owner of a private parking lot to tow away cars, but the situation could open them up to civil litigation. The farmers market says to avoid the lot in the future and to find other areas to park.