Dear Harry: I am a Philadelphia resident with a handicap license plate. This is not a "fake" plate. I have a serious physical disability and a specially equipped car.

Recently, I was in a residential section of the city and I saw a restricted parking space in front of a home. Someone had apparently put a chair there to "reserve" the space for a car that was being used. There were two signs indicating a handicapped space.

Nowhere did either sign indicate that it was reserved for any specific automobile or person.

I asked a passer-by to move the chair onto the sidewalk so I could park. When I left my car, walking on my crutches, the resident who lived in the home behind the space came out of the house in a rage.

I thought she was going to assault me. She insisted that the space was for her husband and not for just anyone who is handicapped.

I later called the Streets Department and the Parking Authority. They both told me that I was right, but a lawyer friend told me that special parking signs in front of homes are reserved for the owners. What's going on here?

What Harry says: Years ago, I came across a similar situation, but without any rage. Here's what I found out:

There is no way to reserve a spot on a public street for a particular car or individual.

In addition, using chairs to try to keep others away is unlawful. This goes for spots in snow-cleared areas as well. However, it does not apply to parking lots and other off-the-street areas where there may be spots reserved for officials, guests of particular tenants, etc.

We now have "off-the-road-rage" as a new expression in our common language. *

Write Harry Gross c/o the Daily News, 400 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19130. Harry urges all his readers to give blood - contact the American Red Cross at 800-GIVE LIFE.