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New South Wales authorities have levied a penalty against an US-based online influencer and handed out two driving violation citations for alleged negligent driving following a swarm of e-bike riders gathered on the famous Sydney landmark during the busy commute on a weekday.

The Incident: An Illegal Gathering

A group of approximately 40 people operating e-bikes and motorcycles travelled along the bridge’s main deck, where cycling is prohibited. The assembly then turned around and rode through the city’s CBD and Haymarket.

"This had a risk of serious injury or fatalities," stated a senior police official the officer on the following day.

Police said they did not chase right away the riders out of concerns for public safety but instead located the group at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair near the city gardens, where they dispersed.

Fines Imposed for Influencer

On Saturday, authorities stated they had served the American online personality who goes by Sur Ronster, 26, with two violation tickets for careless operation (not involving death or prior injury), carrying a fine of $562 and penalty points each, in relation to the bridge incident. Officials noted that inquiries were continuing.

The influencer reportedly has over 3.4 million followers on one platform and over 1.2 million on Instagram.

Influencer's Comments

The online figure spoke with a major newspaper recently after the incident gained traction on digital platforms, stating he regretted giving "bike life" a bad reputation.

"I’ll probably take responsibility. That was among the safest gatherings I’ve ever seen," he told the publication. "I’m coming here as a guest, so I’m going to abide by 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’m unfamiliar with the city, I am to blame we found ourselves on the bridge and I had two choices: whether 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 spate of e-bikes on streets across the country has prompted growing calls for regulation. A senior government official, the minister, recently said that illegal ebikes were a "total menace on the road."

"Kids have done stupid things on bikes since the invention of the penny-farthing [but] the harm that are presenting at our hospital emergency departments are truly severe," the minister stated. "We’ve got to make sure we stop these things entering the country [and] officers are granted the powers to crack down, to confiscate them, to destroy them, to dispose of them."

The state recorded over two hundred injuries related to ebikes in 2024. However, in the initial half of 2025, that number jumped to 233 injuries plus four fatalities.