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NSW authorities have levied a penalty against an US-based online influencer and handed out two traffic infringement notices for alleged reckless operation after 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 group of around 40 individuals riding e-bikes and motorcycles travelled along the bridge’s main deck, where cycling is prohibited. The riders then turned around and traveled through the downtown area and Haymarket.

"This had a risk of serious injury or fatalities," stated a senior police official the officer on the following day.

Police indicated they did not chase right away the riders due to safety concerns but rather found the group at a scenic Sydney lookout near the Botanic Gardens, at which point they broke up.

Fines Imposed for Content Creator

Later in the week, authorities stated they had issued the American online personality who goes by Sur Ronster, twenty-six, with two traffic infringement notices for negligent driving (not involving death or prior injury), with a fine of $562 and three demerit points per notice, connected to the bridge ride-out. They added that inquiries were continuing.

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

Influencer's Comments

The content creator gave comments to a major newspaper recently after the incident gained traction on news sites and social media, saying he regretted giving "bike life" a negative image.

"I accept the blame. It was one of the safest gatherings I have witnessed," he said. "I’m coming here as a guest, so I’m going to abide by the rules and standards of the city. When I decided to do a public meeting it was not meant to include a ride-out, it was just to say hi near the bridge."

"I did not know the area well, it was my fault we found ourselves on the bridge and I had a decision to make: either the group rides the full length of the bridge and comes back, an illegal act. Or we turn around, essentially, before we’re on the bridge. And I made the decision at the time to go back."

National Debate on Electric Bike Rules

The spate of electric bicycles on streets across the country has prompted increasing demands for stricter rules. The federal health minister, Mark Butler, commented that illegal ebikes were a "complete hazard on the road."

"Young people have engaged in reckless acts on bikes ever since the penny-farthing [but] the injuries that are presenting at our hospital emergency departments are truly severe," the minister said. "We’ve got to ensure we stop these things entering the country [and] police are given the authority to take strong action, to take them away, to destroy them, to destroy them."

NSW reported 226 injuries associated with ebikes in 2024. However, in the first seven months of 2025, that number jumped to 233 injuries plus four fatalities.