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NSW authorities have issued a fine against an US-based online influencer and handed out two driving violation citations for alleged reckless operation after a swarm of e-bike riders gathered on the famous Sydney landmark during the busy commute on a weekday.

The Event: An Illegal Gathering

A gathering of approximately 40 people riding electric bikes and motorbikes travelled along the primary roadway of the bridge, an area where bicycle riding is banned. The riders subsequently reversed direction and rode through the city’s CBD and Haymarket.

"This had a risk of people to be injured and killed," stated a senior police official the officer on the following day.

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

Fines Imposed for Influencer

On Saturday, authorities announced they had served the American online personality who goes by Sur Ronster, twenty-six, with two traffic infringement notices for careless operation (with no death or previous bodily harm), with a penalty of $562 and penalty points per notice, connected to the bridge ride-out. Officials noted that the investigation is ongoing.

The influencer reportedly has over 3.4 million followers on one platform and over 1.2m on the social media app.

Creator's Response

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 negative image.

"I accept the blame. It was among the safest ride-outs I have witnessed," he said. "I’m coming here as a guest, so I’m going to come here respecting the rules and standards of Sydney. So when I decided to do a meet and greet it was not meant to include a ride-out, it was just to say hi near the bridge."

"I’m unfamiliar with the city, it was my fault we found ourselves on the bridge and I had two choices: either the group rides the full length of the bridge and comes back, which is a crime. Or we turn around, basically, before entering the bridge. I chose at the time to go back."

National Debate on E-Bike Regulation

The increase of electric bicycles on roads nationwide has sparked growing calls for stricter rules. A senior government official, the minister, recently said that illegal ebikes were a "complete hazard on the road."

"Kids have done stupid things on bikes ever since the early bicycle [but] the harm that are coming into our ERs are truly severe," he said. "We’ve got to ensure we stop these things coming into the country [and] officers are given the authority to take strong action, to take them away, to destroy them, to destroy them."

NSW recorded 226 injuries related to electric bikes in the previous year. But, in the first seven months of the following year, that number surged to 233 injuries plus four fatalities.