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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 negligent driving following a swarm of e-bike riders converged on the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the busy commute on a weekday.

The Event: A Prohibited Ride

A group of approximately 40 people operating electric bikes and motorbikes proceeded along the primary roadway of the bridge, where cycling is prohibited. The riders subsequently reversed direction and rode through the downtown area and Haymarket.

"This had a risk of serious injury or fatalities," remarked NSW police assistant commissioner David Driver on Wednesday.

Police indicated they did not chase right away the riders out of concerns for public safety but rather found the assembly at a scenic Sydney lookout near the Botanic Gardens, where they dispersed.

Penalties Issued for Content Creator

On Saturday, police announced they had issued the American online personality known as the influencer, twenty-six, with two traffic infringement notices for negligent driving (with no death or previous bodily harm), carrying a penalty of $562 and penalty points each, in relation to the bridge ride-out. Officials noted that the investigation is ongoing.

The influencer reportedly has more than 3.4 million subscribers on one platform and more than 1.2m on the social media app.

Influencer's Comments

The online figure spoke with a major newspaper this week after the incident gained traction on digital platforms, stating he regretted giving "the biking community" a bad reputation.

"I’ll probably take responsibility. That was among the safest gatherings I’ve ever seen," he said. "I’m coming here as a guest, so I’m going to come here respecting the laws and norms of the city. So when I decided to do a meet and greet it did not involve 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 rides the full length of the bridge and comes back, an illegal act. Or we turn around, essentially, before we’re on the bridge. And I made the decision at the time to turn around."

National Debate on Electric Bike Rules

The spate of electric bicycles on streets across the country has sparked increasing demands for regulation. A senior government official, the minister, commented that non-compliant electric bikes were a "complete hazard on the road."

"Young people have engaged in stupid things on bikes ever since the early bicycle [but] the harm that are presenting at our ERs are absolutely devastating," the minister stated. "We must make sure we stop these things coming into the country [and] officers are granted the powers to crack down, to take them away, to crush them, to dispose of them."

NSW reported 226 injuries associated with electric bikes in 2024. But, in the first seven months of 2025, that figure jumped to two hundred thirty-three injuries plus four fatalities.