Parked Where a Garda Told You To

A Garda can direct traffic in a way that overrides the normal parking rules. If a Garda told you to stop or park in that spot — for example during a diversion, an incident, a checkpoint, or event marshalling — you were following a lawful order. Because that order overrides the parking rules it displaced, you cannot be found to have broken those rules.

Legal basis

Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 (S.I. 182/1997) art.6(1)-(2).

How to identify this in your case

Is this you? A Garda personally directed you to stop or park at the location where you got the ticket. Write down the time, the exact location, and the Garda's name or station if you know them. Any incident or event reference number will also help your appeal.

Sample appeal wording

Before you send this

Deadline. A late submission can be turned down without your argument being read. Check your notice for the deadline and how it is counted.
Paying may end it. Paying can count as accepting the notice and can close a challenge already under way. Part-paying or acknowledging an old debt can also revive a time limit that had expired.
The amount can change. Check what happens to the sum if you challenge — it may be held, re-offered lower, or keep rising, and fees or enforcement can continue meanwhile.
Use the official route. Use the method, recipient and form your notice specifies, with any reference, evidence and signature it asks for. Sent elsewhere, it may not count.
Only say what is true. Do not copy any statement of fact unless it is true for you, and check the legal point still applies. Delete what does not fit. It may be treated as your statement.
Careful what you volunteer. Avoid unnecessary admissions — naming the driver or accepting responsibility can remove arguments. But answer anything you are legally required to answer, and do include the evidence your ground needs.
Keep the record. Keep what you sent, the attachments, any receipt, and the reply. Note the next deadline.

Sample wording to adapt and send yourself — it may not fit your notice or the stage you are at.

The vehicle was parked in compliance with a Garda direction, which under art.6(2) overrides the parking provisions of the Regulations.

Beat It writes this argument automatically

Scan your PCN — our AI checks if this ground applies to your specific ticket, drafts a properly-cited appeal letter, and sends it for you where the council takes email — guiding you through their own online form where they use one, so you press submit. The win fee is only charged if you win.

Parked Where a Garda Told You To

Legal basis

How to identify this in your case

Sample appeal wording

Beat It writes this argument automatically

Sources

Related appeal grounds

Next steps