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New South Wales police have levied a penalty against an US-based online influencer and served two traffic infringement notices for alleged negligent driving 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 gathering of approximately 40 people operating electric bikes and motorbikes travelled along the primary roadway of the bridge, where cycling is prohibited. The assembly subsequently reversed direction and rode through the downtown area and a nearby district.

"There was potential for serious injury or fatalities," stated NSW police assistant commissioner the officer on Wednesday.

Law enforcement said they did not chase right away the group due to concerns for public safety but instead located the assembly at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair near the city gardens, where they dispersed.

Penalties Issued for Content Creator

Later in the week, authorities stated they had served the US social media influencer known as the influencer, twenty-six, with two violation tickets for careless operation (not involving death or prior injury), with a penalty of $562 and penalty points each, in relation to the bridge incident. Officials noted that inquiries were continuing.

The personality 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 this week following the event spread rapidly on news sites and social media, stating he regretted giving "the biking community" a bad reputation.

"I accept the blame. That was among the safest gatherings I’ve ever seen," he said. "I am a visitor here, so I’m going to abide by the rules and standards of the city. 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 did not know the area well, 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 turns around, an illegal act. Or we reverse, essentially, before we’re on the bridge. And I made the decision at the time to turn around."

Broader Context on Electric Bike Rules

The spate of electric bicycles on roads nationwide has sparked growing calls for stricter rules. The federal health minister, the minister, commented that non-compliant electric bikes were a "complete hazard on the road."

"Young people have engaged in reckless acts on bikes ever since the penny-farthing [but] the injuries that are presenting at our hospital emergency departments are absolutely devastating," he stated. "We’ve got to ensure we prevent these things entering the country [and] police are granted the powers to crack down, to confiscate them, to destroy them, to destroy them."

NSW recorded over two hundred injuries related to electric bikes in 2024. But, in the initial half of the following year, that number surged to 233 injuries plus four deaths.