Spirit Ride honors roadside workers, promotes ‘Move Over’ laws
Motorists shared the road with a fleet of slow-moving tow trucks on local desert roadways today.
More than 80 tow truck drivers drove in a Spirit Ride procession to promote California’s “move over” law. Their jobs are perilous, and help extra caution is required from motorists to keep them safe.
“It’s not that hard. You can see us a half mile away you got time to move over,” said Sean Roby, a tow truck driver with a 22-year career serving the Coachella Valley. “If you don’t…you got to slow way down so you don’t run us over.”
The “Move Over” law requires motorists to move over a lane when approaching emergency vehicles, tow trucks, or Caltrans vehicles displaying emergency or amber flashing lights. Motorists should drive in a lane that is not adjacent to emergency vehicles.
The Spirit Ride procession began at 9:30 a.m. at the Spotlight 29 Casino in Coachella.
The procession traveled slowly throughout the Coachella Valley, one truck hauling a symbolic casket representing an emergency service worker killed on state roadsides.
The procession traveled west on Interstate 10, then up to State Highway 62, and State Highway 247 in Yucca Valley.
The riders also stopped at the Twentynine Palms City Hall for a ceremony at 2 p.m.
Those taking part in the procession will also honor tow truck driver Jon Israel, who died earlier this month when he was struck by a big rig traveling westbound on I-10 westbound in Cabazon.
Israel, 50, was dealing with mechanical issues on his tow truck and was parked on the right shoulder of the I-10, west of Haugen Lehmann Way the morning of August 7. According to CHP, as Israel was re-entering his truck, he and the door were struck by a big rig. Israel was thrown from the side of his truck onto the slow lane.
“We’re all working on the side of the road all we all want to go home to their families,” continued Roby.
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