DEAR READERS: Yesterday, I printed some of the reactions I received to a letter I got about a disabled person whose wheelchair overturned, and who was left lying on the sidewalk by passers-by who failed to offer assistance. Today's responses are examples of how little it takes to help someone in distress, and how each of us is capable of assisting someone in need. Read on:

DEAR ABBY: My aunt was driving her power scooter up the new access ramp at the local library when it suddenly flipped and landed on top of her, pinning her down like a beetle on its back. When she looked up, she found herself staring into the face of a smiling young man whose first words were, "What's wrong with this picture?" It turned out he was the engineer who had built all the walkways.

On her next visit to the library, true to his word, the problem with the ramp had been corrected. If that gentleman happens to read this, I just want to say "thank you." You made her day. -- GRATEFUL NIECE IN CALIFORNIA

DEAR ABBY: Last fall, I fractured my ankle badly and was in a wheelchair for almost two months. I call it my character-building experience. I never realized how hard it is for the disabled to get things done. However, my experience with people was the complete opposite of "Horrified's."

People would dash in front of me to open doors. I can't count the number of times I heard, "Do you need my help?" from complete strangers. I always believed there were wonderful people in the world, and my experience confirmed it. -- GLAD I LIVE IN THE MIDWEST

DEAR ABBY: I have witnessed the opposite of what happened in Dover, Del. As I sat in an airport waiting for my flight to leave, I heard a loud crash and turned to see someone fall down the steps of an escalator. I started toward her, but saw at least five people closer than I was rushing to her. Every single person in the immediate vicinity responded instantly with compassion. -- SACRAMENTO FLIER

DEAR ABBY: "Horrified's" letter reminded me of a quote that I came across years ago. It changed my way of thinking about life and has made me a braver person. It goes something like this: "I wondered why 'somebody' didn't do something. Then I realized, I was somebody."

Sometimes people are self-conscious about taking public action. They assume it will be taken care of by someone who is more experienced or assertive. Perhaps people need to be reminded that we are all "somebodies" with the power to help and make a difference, however small that action might seem. -- CAROL IN POTSDAM, N.Y.

DEAR ABBY: I was at a traffic light and noticed a man near the side of my van had tipped over in his wheelchair. He had no legs and was stuck between the fence, the ground and the bus stop bench.

I told my 4-year-old daughter not to move, put on my hazard blinkers and went to offer assistance. I picked up his wheelchair and was struggling to pick him up, and still nobody helped. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a truck whipped into the nearby parking lot and the driver picked the man up in one swoop, put him in his chair and left in seconds!

I have a bulging disc in my back, but still I was determined to help the man in the wheelchair. I am still amazed at the kindness of the person who came to the rescue of both me and the man who had the accident. -- CINDY, OUT WEST

Good advice for everyone -- teens to seniors -- is in "The Anger in All of Us and How to Deal With It." To order, send a business-size, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $6 (U.S. funds only) to: Dear Abby, Anger Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Postage is included.)

DEAR ABBY: "Horrified in Dover, Del." (May 30) describes a classic example of what psychologists call "Bystander Syndrome." It's a sad fact that the majority of people pass by an accident or simply stand and watch without helping because they figure that "somebody else" will do something. In many cases, nobody does anything, which can lead to serious consequences.

That is why it's important that people be familiar with basic first aid and not hesitate to take action when they see a crisis unfolding. And if you need something done for you, specifically select someone from the crowd, and indicate clearly to that person what you need. People are far more likely to take action when told to do so. -- STUDENT OF PSYCHOLOGY, LONGMONT, COLO.

DEAR STUDENT: The majority of my readers felt there were legal, ethical and moral reasons why a person should -- or should not -- help someone in distress. Read on:

DEAR ABBY: In rebuttal to your assertion that there is "no excuse" not to help, there are at least two reasons why folks might not stop and provide assistance.

The first is general liability, where the lady might, after the fact, decide to bring a lawsuit if all didn't go well with the assistance she was provided. There is also the remote possibility that the accident was staged to provide a basis for a lawsuit.

The other is that the state in which the accident occurred may not have a "Good Samaritan" law, which limits the potential liability of a person who provides assistance to the person in distress. Without that law in place, the courts and juries are stacked against the Good Samaritan.

It's unfortunate that people who offer a helping hand place themselves potentially at financial and emotional risk. I only hope that I have the presence of mind in the future to withhold assistance in a state that has no Good Samaritan law. So far, I have always given assistance, even though I have promised myself I wouldn't. -- GOOD SAMARITAN LAW ADVOCATE IN CALIFORNIA

DEAR ABBY: In your response to "Horrified," you said, "There are still many caring people ..." "Still" is the key word. There was a time in the not-so-distant past when anyone would have helped without hesitation. Walking by was virtually unheard of. Now it's considered normal behavior. Hopefully, this diminished sense of empathy is reversible in our culture. -- STILL CARING, KELSEYVILLE, CALIF.

DEAR ABBY: After reading "Horrified's" letter, I must tell you about a similar incident.

"Tank" is a big man. He has only one leg and the other isn't in the best condition. He uses a motorized wheelchair to get around.

One evening during rush hour, Tank was on his way home when one of the wheels on the chair fell off. After a half-hour sitting by the curb in the cold rain with no one coming to his aid, he became disgusted. Being anything but helpless, he held onto the arm of the wheelchair and hopped up on his damaged foot. When the next vehicle drew close enough that he knew he'd be spotlighted in the headlights, he turned around and MOONED the vehicle.

Abby, the police arrived almost immediately to arrest the "flasher." However, after understanding Tank's predicament, they nicely summoned assistance. -- INTRIGUED BY INGENUITY

DEAR READERS: More on this tomorrow, from a different perspective.

To order "How to Write Letters for All Occasions," send a business-sized, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $6 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby -- Letter Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Postage is included in the price.)

DEAR ABBY: For the second time this week, I saw a dog left in a car while its owner went shopping. Please remind your readers that anything over 70 degrees -- or even 65 on a sunny day -- can mean that the inside of a car will quickly climb to more than 100 degrees!

The dog today, an adorable pug, was panting desperately against the window, which had not even been cracked a couple of inches in an attempt to do the right thing. Abby, the car had a couple of doggie decals on it, as if the owners believed themselves to be animal lovers!

Please also let your readers know it's OK to leave a polite note on a car, telling the owner that it's too hot to leave a dog in a car, and to alert the manager of the store (if they know which one) so an announcement can be made that there is a dog in distress. It is worth the extra minute to try to courteously educate and alert the careless animal owner. -- NO DOGS IN THE CAR AFTER MEMORIAL DAY

DEAR NO DOGS: Thank you for your important message. I spoke with Capt. David Havard of the Los Angeles SPCA, who kindly provided the following information: "Leaving a dog in a car can be considered neglect or abuse. There are laws governing cruelty to animals, and enforcement of those laws would fall under local jurisdiction."

So, readers, if you see a pet left in a parked car, the first thing to do would be to alert security personnel for the parking lot. And if the lot has no security personnel on duty, notify the police. Leaving a note on the offender's car is not enough, because the poor animal could be dead by the time the owner returns.

DEAR ABBY: I have been with my boyfriend for two years. He has met my parents and I have met his, but our parents have never met each other.

Every time we try to get them together, they seem to have some excuse not to. My boyfriend and I recently moved in together and threw a small housewarming party. We invited both of our families, and, of course, like we knew they would, one family showed up and then left before the other arrived.

I want us all to know each other because I can definitely see myself spending the rest of my life with this man, but I don't know how to get it to happen! What should I do? -- BAFFLED IN LOUISVILLE

DEAR BAFFLED: Announce your engagement. That may be what your parents -- and his -- are waiting for.

DEAR ABBY: Last year, for our 13th anniversary, I bought my wife a pair of diamond earrings (about 1 total carat). The only thing I did not mention was that they were man-made diamonds and cost only about one-fourth of the real thing.

Abby, she lost the earrings on a recent trip and is heartbroken. I hate to see her feel this guilty. I want to tell her the truth, but I'm torn because I don't want her to think I'm cheap for getting her man-made diamonds instead of real ones. -- TO TELL OR NOT TO TELL IN HOUSTON

DEAR TO TELL OR NOT TO TELL: There is a way for you to expiate your guilt. Buy your wife another pair of earrings -- and this time make them the real thing.

(P.S. Because of your wife's track record, be smart and insure them.)

To receive a collection of Abby's most memorable -- and most frequently requested -- poems and essays, send a business-sized, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $6 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby -- Keepers Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Postage is included in the price.)