A lot of people think of themselves as good drivers. Whether it’s because they can do things that other drivers struggle with (like parallel parking) or because they’ve never gotten a ticket, some people think that they are better drivers than average.
While that may be true of some people, there are others who instantly get labeled as “bad drivers” by others because of the way they behave when they are behind the wheel. Things like using a phone while driving, failing to use a turn signal, and driving in the passing lane can all get you branded as a bad driver in some people’s eyes.
One TikToker recently faced criticism after sharing a hack her boyfriend taught her. Ria Bracy, who posts under the name @ria.bracy online, posted a dashcam video of herself behind the wheel, sharing the “one thing” her boyfriend taught her.
The post quickly blew up as people raced to the comments to call Ria out for the bad habit, highlighting just how much people hate this inconsiderate driving move.
A TikToker Shared Her Merging Trick
@ria.bracy That exit is always backed up for miles and I REFUSE to wait 20mins because yall don’t know how to merge after turning 🙄 #highway #edisonnj #driving #nj #fyp ♬ Damn I Love Miami – Pitbull & Lil Jon
The video began with Ria driving down the road while passing a long line of cars. “That exit is always backed up for miles, and I refuse to wait 20 minutes because y’all don’t know how to merge after turning,” she captioned the video.
The clip then proceeded to show Ria continuing to drive alongside the backed-up cars until she reached the exit, where she moved into the right lane to merge right as people were getting off.
People Blamed Her for the Backup
Commenters discussed the etiquette for merging, with some saying that drivers like Ria are part of the problem. “People doing this is why the traffic is blocked up so much, by the way,” one person wrote.
“People are so selfish,” another person wrote. “This is not a flex, girlie.”
“I would go to jail before I let someone do this to me,” yet another wrote.
What’s the Right Way to Merge?
Several commenters suggested that the situation involved a method called “zipper merging.”
According to Triple A, zipper merging is the safest way to merge during a traffic slowdown. The website says that the best way to do this involves using both lanes, with each lane alternating which car goes next. It involves staying in the lane you’re driving in when you realize that you need to merge, with all vehicles continuing to the same final point where they come together, like the prongs in a zipper.
Triple A says that this method shouldn’t be viewed as “cutting in line,” but does note that it requires cooperation from both sets of drivers involved in the merging process. The website also says that this method is even the law in some states.