That is terrible, denying people a place to park in parking lot where the business is CLOSED.

Speaking of lots, how about the large lot behind the Hamilton Tavern on Wisteria and Richard Aves. That was, for years, roped off and anyone who parked there would be towed. When we visited the Tav, we parked there but I was wondering if now its okay to park in that lot.

Tow truck companies love it when people park at the Domino's across from Muggsy's on Light Street in Federal Hill. They tow people within five minutes. Parking in Federal Hill has gotten so bad between the towing and all of the restrictions they should put up a sign, "You are not welcomed to Federal Hill" when you enter on Light Street from the city.

Exactly my biggest complaint about the city! There's no where to park! Both Mayor O'Mally and Mayor Dixon have talked about bringing people to the city but how are we going anywhere when we can't even park our cars? At least (hopefully) the subway line is going to be extended eventually!

Both the 8 and the 33 stop within a block of Waverly market. No need to park at all.

My experience cantracting with towing companies goes back about 20 years to when I was managing apartment complexes, so feel free to correct me if things have changed in the last couple decades.

Back then, the property owner didn't pay the tow company anything at all. The tower got the tow fees and the storage fees. There are laws about signage and I remember having to "fire" one company because they posted the No Parking signs behind bushes and trees. Sounds like this tow company sees a quick buck.

Do they run that early on a Sunday morning?

Both Mayor O'Mally and Mayor Dixon have talked about...

Baltimore has co-mayors?

Mayor O'Malley is the former mayor, now the governor. Mayor Dixon, over there in the fur coat, is the current mayor.

Since Dixon was brought up by O'Malley, one might thing they were co-mayors, except Dixon has shown some independence.

Yes, the buses run early on Sunday mornings. I'm usually to the JFX market and done shopping before 7 am, and the 8 runs that early for sure. It even runs more than once an hour.

The Waverly Farmers Market is on Saturday, not Sunday.

Tow trucks take it upon themselves to patrol for parking violators. After all, the towing and "storage" fees they can charge are astronomical--it's an easy buck for them. When I worked at UM law school, you could set your clock by the tow trucks patrolling Greene and Paca Sts. to pounce on vehicles that hadn't moved by 3:30 PM.

Those beets are GORgeous! I'd love to find some to roast.

True, true, Crowsonguy. I forget, because my primary market is JFX, which is on Sunday.

The buses run twice as often on Sat. as they do on Sunday.

I have pity on any poor soul who must depend on the MTA for transportation...I rode the Numba 10 (years later I found out what numba 10 meant!!)bus for years and the only reliable factor was its inconsistency

Hue, if you tried to ride the 10 on a Sunday, yeah, it sure isn't the MTA at its best. It isn't bad on weekdays and is bearable on Saturday.

Sundays and holidays are a real drag for anyone who doesn't live on the Metro or the 40.

As it happens, I know kind of a lot about towing...my husband's family owns a towing company.

Here's the deal: to patrol a lot, a towing company has to have a contract with the property owner. It's the property owner's decision whether or not to let the towers patrol. My guess is that Papa John's has had problems in the past with people parking in their lot and leaving cars there (or something like that) so they now have their towers patrol all the time.

Also, alll of the rates - for towing and for storage - are legislated by the city and county. It's not legal for towers to pay a property owner to patrol (though I'm sure it happens sometimes w/less respectable companies).

And...not to sound defensive or anything, but towing's really not the business to go into if you're looking to make easy money. There's a ton of overhead and the regulations are strict. There's not really any room to wiggle when expenses (like gas prices) go up.

Nobody likes to get towed, but it's also a huge pain for shopowners, etc. when people who aren't customers park in their lots. Towing really isn't just about generating revenue...towers do provide an actual service. Really.

OK, that's it for my defensive "don't blame the towers!" rant.

And the beets do look gorgeous.

I live near the staduims (guess where!) and on Ravens' game days, the tow trucks are out in force, hired, I am assuming by the city. There are city tow trucks, but there are also private company trucks.

A group of neighbours who have a private parking lot have a contract with a towing company to tow cars on game days.

Even though we have permits, we are not assured a parking spot. The neighbourhood is very well-marked as to permit only parking, but apparently people don't think that it applies to them.

There seems to be some what of a gap between what towers will charge. I've seen it from $250 to what I think is the legal limit of $500 plus storage. I support the right of a property owner to evict trespassers, but $500 is excessive. You could commit a semi-serious crime and end up with a fine less than $500.

The other great thing about towers is where you have to go to pick your car up. My car was towed about ten years ago to some place on west North Avenue. I had to find a way to get there, and I had to come carrying hundred of dollars in cash as most tow companies won't take credit or check.

I almost got towed two weeks ago at that Papa John's across from the Waverly Farmer's Market at about 7:30 AM on a Saturday. And that was after I had parked there three or four times on other Saturdays during the summer along with a number of other people. The lot was always at least half full. It cost me $195 in cash to get the tow truck driver to drop my car off the back of his truck. When I got home, I told my husband "Isn't this Savoy cabbage beautiful? Guess how much it cost. A hundred and ninety six dollars!!!" It seems like a stupid thing for Papa Johns to do. Why not tell the tow truck people to leave people alone on Saturday from 6 AM to 11 AM until Papa John's opens to show support for the market and community? It wouldn't cost them a penny.