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NSW authorities have issued a fine against an American social media personality and handed out two driving violation citations for alleged reckless operation after a large group of e-bike riders gathered on the Sydney Harbour Bridge during peak-hour traffic on a weekday.

The Incident: An Illegal Gathering

A group of approximately 40 individuals operating electric bikes and motorbikes travelled along the primary roadway of the bridge, where cycling is prohibited. The riders then turned around and traveled through the downtown area and Haymarket.

"This had a risk of people to be injured and killed," stated NSW police assistant commissioner 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 city gardens, where they dispersed.

Penalties Issued for Influencer

Later in the week, police stated they had issued the American online personality known as Sur Ronster, 26, with two violation tickets for careless operation (not involving death or prior injury), with a penalty of over five hundred dollars and penalty points per notice, in relation to the bridge incident. Officials noted that inquiries were continuing.

The personality reportedly has more than 3.4 million subscribers on one platform and more than 1.2m on Instagram.

Influencer's Comments

The content creator gave comments to a local publication this week after the incident spread rapidly on news sites and social media, saying he regretted giving "the biking community" a bad reputation.

"I accept the blame. That was among the safest gatherings I’ve ever seen," he told the publication. "I’m coming here as a guest, and I intend to come here respecting the laws and norms of the city. When I decided to do a public meeting it was not meant to include a group ride, it was just to say hi near the bridge."

"I did not know the area well, I am to blame we ended up on the bridge and I had a decision to make: whether the group completes the entirety of the bridge and turns around, an illegal act. Or we reverse, basically, before we’re on the bridge. I chose at the time to go back."

Broader Context on E-Bike Regulation

The increase of e-bikes on roads nationwide has prompted growing calls for regulation. The federal health minister, Mark Butler, commented that illegal ebikes were a "complete hazard on the road."

"Kids have done stupid things on bikes ever since the penny-farthing [but] the injuries that are coming into our ERs are truly severe," he stated. "We’ve got to ensure we prevent these things coming into the country [and] officers are given the powers to crack down, to take them away, to crush them, to dispose of them."

NSW reported 226 injuries associated with ebikes in the previous year. But, in the first seven months of the following year, that figure jumped to 233 injuries plus four deaths.