🔗 Share this article

NSW police have levied a penalty against an US-based online influencer and handed out two driving violation citations for reported reckless operation following a large group of electric bicycle users gathered on the famous Sydney landmark during the busy commute on a weekday.

The Event: An Illegal Gathering

A group of approximately 40 people riding electric bikes and motorbikes travelled along the bridge’s main deck, an area where bicycle riding is banned. The riders then turned around and traveled through the city’s CBD and a nearby district.

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

Law enforcement said they did not immediately pursue the group due to concerns for public safety but rather found the group at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair near the Botanic Gardens, at which point they broke up.

Penalties Issued for Content Creator

On Saturday, authorities stated they had served the US social media influencer who goes by the influencer, 26, with two traffic infringement notices for negligent driving (with no death or previous bodily harm), carrying a penalty of $562 and three demerit points per notice, in relation to the bridge incident. Officials noted that the investigation is ongoing.

The personality reportedly has over 3.4m followers on YouTube and over 1.2 million on Instagram.

Influencer's Comments

The content creator gave comments to a local publication this week following the event gained traction on digital platforms, stating he was sorry for giving "bike life" a negative image.

"I accept the blame. That was among the safest gatherings I have witnessed," he told the publication. "I am a visitor here, and I intend to abide by the laws and norms of Sydney. When I decided to do a public meeting it was not meant to include a ride-out, it was just to greet people near 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 rides the full length of the bridge and turns around, an illegal act. Or we turn around, essentially, before entering the bridge. And I made the decision at the time to turn around."

Broader Context on Electric Bike Rules

The increase of electric bicycles on streets across the country has prompted increasing demands for regulation. The federal health minister, the minister, commented that non-compliant electric bikes were a "total menace on the road."

"Kids have done stupid things on bikes since the invention of the early bicycle [but] the injuries that are presenting at our ERs are truly severe," the minister said. "We’ve got to make sure we stop these things coming into the country [and] officers are given the authority to take strong action, to confiscate them, to destroy them, to dispose of them."

NSW recorded 226 injuries associated with ebikes in 2024. But, in the first seven months of 2025, that figure jumped to 233 injuries plus four deaths.