US Online Influencer Fined After Large-Scale E-Bike Gathering on Sydney Harbour Bridge
NSW authorities have levied a penalty against an US-based online influencer and served two traffic infringement notices for alleged reckless operation following a large group of e-bike riders converged on the Sydney Harbour Bridge during peak-hour traffic on Tuesday.
The Incident: An Illegal Gathering
A gathering of approximately 40 individuals riding electric bikes and motorbikes proceeded along the primary roadway of the bridge, where cycling is prohibited. The assembly subsequently reversed direction and rode through the city’s CBD and Haymarket.
"There was a risk of serious injury or fatalities," remarked NSW police assistant commissioner David Driver on Wednesday.
Police said they did not chase right away the group due to concerns for public safety but rather found the group at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair near the city gardens, at which point they broke up.
Penalties Issued for Influencer
On Saturday, authorities stated they had served the US social media influencer who goes by the influencer, 26, with two violation tickets for negligent driving (not involving death or prior injury), carrying a penalty of $562 and penalty points per notice, in relation to the bridge incident. Officials noted that the investigation is ongoing.
The personality is said to have more than 3.4 million followers on one platform and more than 1.2m on the social media app.
Influencer's Comments
The online figure gave comments to a major newspaper this week after the incident spread rapidly on news sites and social media, stating he was sorry for giving "the biking community" a negative image.
"I accept the blame. That was among the safest ride-outs I’ve ever seen," he told the publication. "I’m coming here as a guest, so I’m going to abide by the laws and norms of Sydney. When I decided to do a meet and greet it did not involve a group ride, it was just to say hi under the bridge."
"I’m unfamiliar with the city, it was my fault we found ourselves on the bridge and I had a decision to make: either the group rides the full length of the bridge and comes back, which is a crime. Or we turn around, basically, before we’re on the bridge. And I made the decision at the time to turn around."
National Debate on Electric Bike Rules
The increase of electric bicycles on roads nationwide has sparked growing calls for stricter rules. The federal health minister, the minister, commented that illegal ebikes were a "total menace on the road."
"Kids have done stupid things on bikes since the invention of the early bicycle [but] the harm that are presenting at our hospital emergency departments are absolutely devastating," he said. "We must ensure we prevent these things entering the country [and] police are granted the powers to crack down, to confiscate them, to crush them, to destroy them."
NSW reported 226 injuries related to ebikes in the previous year. However, in the initial half of the following year, that figure jumped to two hundred thirty-three injuries plus four deaths.
