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NSW authorities have levied a penalty against an US-based online influencer and handed out two traffic infringement notices for reported reckless operation after a large group of electric bicycle users gathered on the famous Sydney landmark during the busy commute on Tuesday.

The Incident: An Illegal Gathering

A gathering of approximately 40 individuals riding e-bikes and motorcycles travelled along the bridge’s main deck, where cycling is prohibited. The assembly subsequently reversed direction and traveled through the city’s CBD and Haymarket.

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

Law enforcement said they did not immediately pursue the group due to concerns for public safety but instead located the group at a scenic Sydney lookout near the Botanic Gardens, where they dispersed.

Penalties Issued for Content Creator

Later in the week, authorities announced they had issued the American online personality known as Sur Ronster, twenty-six, with two traffic infringement notices for negligent driving (with no death or previous bodily harm), carrying a penalty of $562 and three demerit points each, in relation to the bridge ride-out. Officials noted that the investigation is ongoing.

The influencer reportedly has over 3.4m subscribers on YouTube and over 1.2m on Instagram.

Creator's Response

The online figure spoke with a major newspaper this week after the incident gained traction on digital platforms, stating he regretted giving "the biking community" a negative image.

"I’ll probably take responsibility. That was one of the safest gatherings I have witnessed," he told the publication. "I am a visitor here, so I’m going to come here respecting the rules and standards of Sydney. 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 did not know the area well, I am to blame we found ourselves on the bridge and I had a decision to make: whether the group completes the entirety of the bridge and turns around, which is a crime. Or we reverse, basically, before we’re on the bridge. I chose at the time to go back."

Broader Context on Electric Bike Rules

The increase of e-bikes on roads nationwide has prompted growing calls for regulation. A senior government official, the minister, commented that non-compliant electric bikes were a "complete hazard on the road."

"Young people have engaged in stupid things on bikes ever since the penny-farthing [but] the injuries that are presenting at our ERs are truly severe," he said. "We must ensure we prevent these things coming into the country [and] police are given the authority to take strong action, to take them away, to crush them, to dispose of them."

NSW recorded 226 injuries related to ebikes in the previous year. But, in the first seven months of the following year, that figure jumped to two hundred thirty-three injuries plus four fatalities.