In vehicular hijacking, what establishes the use of force?

The use of force in the context of vehicular hijacking is established primarily through the imminent threat of violence. This means that when an individual threatens to use physical harm or violence against another person to gain control of a vehicle, it satisfies the legal definition of force in this scenario. This threat creates a sense of fear and compels the victim to comply with the demands of the hijacker.

In contrast, other options involve forms of persuasion or coercion that lack the direct and immediate threat of violence necessary to be classified as 'force.' For instance, mild coercion or emotional manipulation may influence a person's decision but do not convey the immediacy or likelihood of physical harm. Similarly, relying on verbal persuasion does not inherently create the atmosphere of intimidation that is characteristic of vehicular hijacking scenarios. Therefore, the presence of an imminent threat of force is what distinctly establishes the nature of the crime in this context.