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NSW police have issued a fine against an US-based online influencer and served two driving violation citations for alleged negligent driving following a large group of electric bicycle users converged on the famous Sydney landmark during the busy commute on Tuesday.

The Incident: An Illegal Gathering

A group of approximately 40 individuals operating electric bikes and motorbikes proceeded along the primary roadway of the bridge, where cycling is prohibited. The riders subsequently reversed direction and rode through the downtown area and a nearby district.

"There was potential for people to be injured and killed," remarked NSW police assistant commissioner David Driver on the following day.

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

Penalties Issued for Influencer

On Saturday, authorities stated they had issued the US social media influencer known as Sur Ronster, 26, with two traffic infringement notices for negligent driving (with no death or previous bodily harm), with a penalty of $562 and three demerit points each, in relation to the bridge ride-out. They added that inquiries were continuing.

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

Influencer's Comments

The online figure 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 accept the blame. That was one of the safest gatherings I’ve ever seen," he said. "I am a visitor here, and I intend to abide by the laws and norms of the city. When I decided to do a public meeting it did not involve a ride-out, it was just to say hi under the bridge."

"I’m unfamiliar with the city, it was my fault we found ourselves on the bridge and I had two choices: whether the group rides the full length of the bridge and comes back, an illegal act. Or we reverse, essentially, before entering the bridge. I chose at the time to go back."

National Debate on E-Bike Regulation

The increase of electric bicycles on roads nationwide has sparked growing calls for stricter rules. A senior government official, the minister, recently said that non-compliant electric bikes were a "total menace on the road."

"Kids have done stupid things on bikes ever since the penny-farthing [but] the harm that are coming into our hospital emergency departments are truly severe," he said. "We’ve got to ensure we stop these things coming into the country [and] police are given the powers to take strong action, to confiscate them, to crush them, to dispose of them."

NSW reported over two hundred injuries related to electric bikes in 2024. However, in the initial half of the following year, that figure surged to 233 injuries plus four fatalities.