I'm sure that I will not be the only one writing in, attempting to educate Sarah Gilmour ("Handicap parking spots for disabled" SN 3/29). To make it simple, let me boil it down to five words: Handicaps are not always visible.

Gilmour makes the common mistake of thinking she can make a medical diagnosis on someone in the seconds she observes them getting out of their car. The people she thinks are "apparently with no physical handicap" may well have a heart or lung condition that makes walking long distances difficult. Maybe their condition only becomes evident after they walk for five or so minutes. There are several folks I encounter regularly in the gym who have handicap permits. They are there for a sort of physical therapy, recovering from injuries or illness.

I understand Gilmour's frustration when she sees what she thinks is abuse of handicapped permits. In some cases, she may be right. However, it is important to realize that even the best doctors in the world can not be expected to make an accurate diagnosis from casual observation of someone walking into a building. An untrained observer whose main interest is finding a parking spot should not expect to do better.

Kim Dyer
1979 graduate