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NSW police have issued a fine against an American social media personality and handed out two driving violation citations for alleged reckless operation following a swarm of electric bicycle users gathered on the Sydney Harbour Bridge during peak-hour traffic on a weekday.

The Incident: An Illegal Gathering

A gathering of around 40 people riding electric bikes and motorbikes travelled along the primary roadway of the bridge, where cycling is prohibited. The riders subsequently reversed direction and rode through the city’s CBD and Haymarket.

"There was a risk of people to be injured and killed," stated NSW police assistant commissioner David Driver on Wednesday.

Police said they did not chase right away the group out of safety concerns but instead located the assembly at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair near the Botanic Gardens, at which point they broke up.

Penalties Issued for Influencer

Later in the week, authorities announced they had served the American online personality known as Sur Ronster, twenty-six, with two traffic infringement notices for careless operation (not involving death or prior injury), carrying a fine of $562 and penalty points each, connected to the bridge ride-out. Officials noted that inquiries were continuing.

The influencer reportedly has more than 3.4m followers on one platform and more than 1.2 million on the social media app.

Creator's Response

The content creator gave comments to a major newspaper this week following the event spread rapidly on news sites and social media, stating he regretted giving "the biking community" a negative image.

"I accept the blame. That was among the safest ride-outs I have witnessed," he said. "I’m coming here as a guest, so I’m going to abide by the laws and norms of the city. When I decided to do a public meeting it did not involve a group ride, it was just to say hi near the bridge."

"I’m unfamiliar with the city, it was my fault we ended up on the bridge and I had a decision to make: whether the group rides the full length of the bridge and comes back, which is a crime. Or we reverse, essentially, before we’re on the bridge. I chose at the time to go back."

Broader Context on E-Bike Regulation

The increase of e-bikes on roads nationwide has sparked increasing demands for stricter rules. A senior government official, Mark Butler, recently said that illegal ebikes were a "complete hazard on the road."

"Young people have engaged in stupid things on bikes ever since the penny-farthing [but] the harm that are coming into our ERs are truly severe," the minister stated. "We must make sure we stop these things entering the country [and] police are granted the authority to crack down, to confiscate them, to crush them, to dispose of them."

The state reported 226 injuries associated with electric bikes in 2024. However, in the first seven months of the following year, that figure jumped to 233 injuries plus four deaths.