I posted this patch last year, but I don't think anybody picked it up.

http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-gnu-emacs/2007-10/msg00091.html

An updated version of the patch is attached and in-line below.
/a


Index: thingatpt.el
===================================================================
RCS file: /sources/emacs/emacs/lisp/thingatpt.el,v
retrieving revision 1.47
diff -u -r1.47 thingatpt.el
--- thingatpt.el	22 Oct 2008 20:51:23 -0000	1.47
+++ thingatpt.el	24 Oct 2008 17:50:47 -0000
@@ -169,19 +169,19 @@
        (nth 3 (parse-partial-sexp (point) orig)))))

  (defun end-of-sexp ()
-  (let ((char-syntax (char-syntax (char-after (point)))))
+  (let ((char-syntax (char-syntax (char-after))))
      (if (or (eq char-syntax ?\))
-	    (and (eq char-syntax ?\") (in-string-p)))
-	(forward-char 1)
+           (and (eq char-syntax ?\") (in-string-p)))
+       (forward-char 1)
        (forward-sexp 1))))

  (put 'sexp 'end-op 'end-of-sexp)

  (defun beginning-of-sexp ()
-  (let ((char-syntax (char-syntax (char-before (point)))))
+  (let ((char-syntax (char-syntax (char-before))))
      (if (or (eq char-syntax ?\()
-	    (and (eq char-syntax ?\") (in-string-p)))
-	(forward-char -1)
+           (and (eq char-syntax ?\") (in-string-p)))
+       (forward-char -1)
        (forward-sexp -1))))

  (put 'sexp 'beginning-op 'beginning-of-sexp)
@@ -405,10 +405,10 @@
    (interactive "p")
    (while (< arg 0)
      (skip-syntax-backward
-     (char-to-string (char-syntax (char-after (1- (point))))))
+     (char-to-string (char-syntax (char-before))))
      (setq arg (1+ arg)))
    (while (> arg 0)
-    (skip-syntax-forward (char-to-string (char-syntax (char-after 
(point)))))
+    (skip-syntax-forward (char-to-string (char-syntax (char-after))))
      (setq arg (1- arg))))

  ;;  Aliases