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NSW authorities have levied a penalty against an US-based online influencer and served two driving violation citations for reported negligent driving following a large group of e-bike riders gathered on the famous Sydney landmark during peak-hour traffic on a weekday.

The Event: An Illegal Gathering

A gathering of approximately 40 individuals riding e-bikes and motorcycles proceeded along the primary roadway of the bridge, where cycling is prohibited. The assembly then turned around and rode through the downtown area and a nearby district.

"This had a risk of people to be injured and killed," remarked a senior police official David Driver on the following day.

Law enforcement indicated they did not immediately pursue the riders due to safety concerns but instead located the assembly at a scenic Sydney lookout near the Botanic Gardens, where they dispersed.

Fines Imposed for Influencer

On Saturday, authorities stated they had issued the US social media influencer who goes by Sur Ronster, 26, with two traffic infringement notices for negligent driving (with no death or previous bodily harm), with a penalty of over five hundred dollars and penalty points each, in relation to the bridge incident. Officials noted that the investigation is ongoing.

The personality reportedly has over 3.4 million followers on one platform and over 1.2m on Instagram.

Creator's Response

The content creator spoke with a local publication recently following the event gained traction on news sites and social media, stating he was sorry for giving "the biking community" a bad reputation.

"I’ll probably take responsibility. That was one of the safest ride-outs I’ve ever seen," he told the publication. "I’m coming here as a guest, and I intend to come here respecting the laws and norms of the city. So when I decided to do a public meeting it did not involve a ride-out, it was just to greet people near the bridge."

"I did not know the area well, I am to blame we found ourselves on the bridge and I had a decision to make: whether the group completes the entirety of the bridge and turns around, an illegal act. Or we reverse, essentially, before entering the bridge. And I made the decision at the time to turn around."

Broader Context on Electric Bike Rules

The increase of electric bicycles on streets across the country has sparked growing calls for stricter rules. A senior government official, Mark Butler, commented that illegal ebikes were a "total menace on the road."

"Young people have engaged in stupid things on bikes ever since the penny-farthing [but] the injuries that are coming into our hospital emergency departments are absolutely devastating," he said. "We must ensure we prevent these things coming into the country [and] officers are given the authority to crack down, to confiscate them, to destroy them, to destroy them."

The state reported 226 injuries related to electric bikes in 2024. However, in the first seven months of the following year, that figure surged to two hundred thirty-three injuries plus four deaths.