i had a disabled colleague at work one time in a wheelchair and she said people do all kinds of strange things when you're disabled out in public because the disability makes them nervous and they don't know how to act or what to do.
for example, people will come up from behind and push the chair or insist on helping you out or carrying your stuff even when you don't want them to. they will act overly nice and never "normal", or it will be the other way around and ignore you completely. apparently, it's a real head trip but something you get used to.
there was a very active forum member who lived up in isaan awhile ago that was in a wheelchair, paraplegic i think, but i have not seen him post in awhile. i forget his name.