Arash Farahbakht, 32, Frenchs Forest: Landcruiser driver convicted of Forest Way road rage

‘What’s your problem?’: An angry Landcruiser driver, who overreacted to the actions of another motorist, has appeared in court on a string of traffic offences linked to road rage.

Arash Farahbakht, 32, of Frenchs Forest, committed a string of serious ‘road rage’ traffic offences in his Toyota Landcruiser when he became upset at the manner of driving of another motorist on the northern beaches. File picture: Carmela Roche

An angry driver behind the wheel of his Toyota Landcruiser was so upset with another motorist during peak hour on Sydney’s northern beaches that he resorted to “classic” road rage actions.

Arash Farahbakht was slapped with a string of traffic charges after twice abruptly changing lands without signalling, to cut the other driver off and slamming on his 4WD’s brakes to stop the other car.

Farahbakht, from Frenchs Forest, who Manly Local Court heard wanted to get his security guard licence, twice got out of his vehicle on Forest Way at Belrose and Frenchs Forest, to confront his 60-year-old male victim.

At one point he stormed up to the driver’s side window of the other vehicle and yelled: “What’s your problem?”.

Arash Farahbakht, 32, of Frenchs Forest, outside Manly Local Court on Wednesday, where he was convicted of a string of traffic offences related to "road rage".

Farahbakht also blocked a busy intersection with his Toyota, at 6pm on Monday, June 26 last year, in an effort to film the victim with his mobile phone.

The road rager continued to follow the other driver for several kilometres, and only pulled out of the chase when the alarmed victim stopped outside Frenchs Forest police station after calling triple-0 and asking for help.

Farahbakht’s solicitor told the court on Wednesday that his client was simply trying to flag the other driver down and talk to him about his manner of driving because he thought that driver may have been affected by alcohol.

“He tried, regrettably, to flag him down,” the solicitor said.

“It was classic road rage,” Magistrate Daniel Reiss said. File picture: Carmela Roche

The court heard that Farahbakht had been involved in a 80km/h crash, caused by a drink driver, only five months before the Forest Way incidents and had become anxious about the way other people drove.

He also had issues with depression and anxiety, Magistrate Daniel Reiss was told.

Farahbakht pleaded guilty to one count each of not give sufficient warning of stopping; stop in intersection; not give right change of direction signal with lights and; not give left change of direction signal with lights.

“It‘s classic road rage isn’t it?’ Mr Reiss asked Farahbakht’s solicitor.

“” It was road rage and he drove in an angry fashion towards the other driver.

“He appears to have overreacted and continued to follow him.”

Farahbakht was convicted and fined a total of $1000.