[robinjoe]

I had a similar situation except for quite the oposite outcome when I was transporting my wheelchair-bound mother from Florida to Reagan National Airport (Washington DC). It was freezing out so I couldn't leave my mother on the sidewalk as I took a shuttle bus to the car. So I asked a cop if I'd be able to leave her in the terminal and come back in to get her once I had the car.

Of course by the time I got the car, that cop was no where to be found. As I got out of the car to go in and retrieve her, another cop stopped me and was quite serious as I was about to cross the road.

The difference here though is that once I explained it to him and pointed her out (throught the window), he went in and got her for me.

I have found that most people bend over backwards to be nice when wheel-chair bound persons are involved. That may have been what made the difference here.