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NSW police have levied a penalty against an American social media personality and handed out two driving violation citations for reported reckless operation following a swarm of e-bike riders converged on the famous Sydney landmark during the busy commute on a weekday.

The Incident: An Illegal Gathering

A group of approximately 40 people riding e-bikes and motorcycles travelled along the primary roadway of the bridge, an area where bicycle riding is banned. The riders then turned around and traveled through the downtown area and a nearby district.

"There was potential for serious injury or fatalities," remarked NSW police assistant commissioner David Driver on Wednesday.

Law enforcement said they did not immediately pursue the group due to concerns for public safety but rather found the group at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair near the Botanic Gardens, at which point they broke up.

Fines Imposed for Influencer

On Saturday, police announced they had served the American online personality who goes by Sur Ronster, 26, with two violation tickets for negligent driving (with no death or previous bodily harm), carrying a penalty of $562 and penalty points each, in relation to the bridge ride-out. They added that inquiries were continuing.

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

Creator's Response

The online figure spoke with a local publication this week following the event gained traction on digital platforms, stating he regretted giving "bike life" a negative image.

"I accept the blame. It was among the safest gatherings I’ve ever seen," he told the publication. "I am a visitor here, and I intend to come here respecting the rules and standards of Sydney. So when I decided to do a meet and greet it was not meant to include a ride-out, it was just to greet people near the bridge."

"I did not know the area well, I am to blame we ended up on the bridge and I had two choices: either the group completes the entirety of the bridge and turns around, which is a crime. Or we reverse, basically, before entering the bridge. I chose at the time to go back."

National Debate on Electric Bike Rules

The spate of electric bicycles on streets across the country has prompted growing calls for regulation. A senior government official, the minister, commented that illegal ebikes were a "total menace on the road."

"Kids have done stupid things on bikes since the invention of the penny-farthing [but] the injuries that are presenting at our ERs are absolutely devastating," he said. "We must make sure we prevent these things entering the country [and] officers are given the powers to take strong action, to take them away, to crush them, to dispose of them."

The state recorded 226 injuries associated with ebikes in 2024. But, in the initial half of the following year, that figure surged to 233 injuries plus four deaths.