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New South Wales authorities have levied a penalty against an US-based online influencer and handed out two traffic infringement notices for alleged reckless operation following a swarm of e-bike riders gathered on the famous Sydney landmark during the busy commute on Tuesday.

The Incident: A Prohibited Ride

A group of approximately 40 people riding e-bikes and motorcycles travelled along the primary roadway of the bridge, where cycling is prohibited. The assembly then turned around and traveled through the downtown area and Haymarket.

"This had potential for serious injury or fatalities," stated NSW police assistant commissioner David Driver on Wednesday.

Police indicated they did not immediately pursue the riders due to safety concerns but instead located the assembly at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair near the Botanic Gardens, where they dispersed.

Fines Imposed for Content Creator

Later in the week, authorities stated they had served the US social media influencer known as Sur Ronster, 26, with two traffic infringement notices for negligent driving (not involving death or prior injury), carrying a penalty of $562 and three demerit points per notice, connected to the bridge ride-out. They added that inquiries were continuing.

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

Influencer's Comments

The content creator gave comments to a major newspaper this week following the event gained traction on news sites and social media, stating he regretted giving "bike life" a bad reputation.

"I’ll probably take responsibility. It was one of the safest gatherings I have witnessed," he told the publication. "I’m coming here as a guest, and I intend to come here respecting the rules and standards of the city. So when I decided to do a public meeting it was not meant to include a group ride, it was just to greet people under 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: either the group completes the entirety of the bridge and comes back, which is a crime. Or we turn around, basically, before entering the bridge. And I made the decision at the time to turn around."

National Debate on Electric Bike Rules

The spate of e-bikes on streets across the country has sparked increasing demands for stricter rules. A senior government official, Mark Butler, recently said that illegal ebikes were a "total menace on the road."

"Young people have engaged in stupid things on bikes ever since the early bicycle [but] the injuries that are coming into our ERs are truly severe," the minister stated. "We must ensure we stop these things entering the country [and] officers are granted the authority to take strong action, to confiscate them, to destroy them, to dispose of them."

NSW recorded 226 injuries related to ebikes in the previous year. But, in the first seven months of 2025, that number jumped to 233 injuries plus four fatalities.