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NSW police have levied a penalty against an US-based online influencer and served two driving violation citations for reported reckless operation following a large group of e-bike riders converged on the Sydney Harbour Bridge during peak-hour traffic on Tuesday.

The Event: A Prohibited Ride

A gathering of approximately 40 people riding electric bikes and motorbikes travelled along the bridge’s main deck, where cycling is prohibited. The assembly then turned around and rode through the downtown area and Haymarket.

"There was a risk of serious injury or fatalities," stated NSW police assistant commissioner the officer on the following day.

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

Fines Imposed for Influencer

On Saturday, police announced they had issued the US social media influencer known as Sur Ronster, twenty-six, with two traffic infringement notices for careless operation (with no death or previous bodily harm), carrying a penalty of $562 and three demerit points each, connected to the bridge incident. They added that inquiries were continuing.

The personality is said to have over 3.4 million subscribers on one platform and more than 1.2m on Instagram.

Creator's Response

The online figure gave comments to a major newspaper this week after the incident gained traction on news sites and social media, saying he was sorry for giving "bike life" a bad reputation.

"I accept the blame. It was among the safest gatherings I have witnessed," he said. "I am a visitor here, and I intend to abide by the laws and norms of the city. So when I decided to do a public meeting it did not involve a group ride, it was just to say hi under the bridge."

"I’m unfamiliar with the city, I am to blame we found ourselves on the bridge and I had a decision to make: either the group completes the entirety of the bridge and comes back, an illegal act. Or we reverse, basically, before entering the bridge. I chose at the time to turn around."

Broader Context on Electric Bike Rules

The increase of e-bikes on streets across the country has sparked increasing demands for stricter rules. A senior government official, the minister, recently said that non-compliant electric bikes were a "total menace on the road."

"Young people have engaged in stupid things on bikes since the invention of the early bicycle [but] the injuries that are presenting at our hospital emergency departments are truly severe," the minister said. "We’ve got to ensure we prevent these things entering the country [and] officers are given the powers to take strong action, to confiscate them, to crush them, to dispose of them."

The state recorded 226 injuries related to ebikes in 2024. However, in the first seven months of the following year, that figure jumped to 233 injuries plus four deaths.