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From the Cambridge dictionary:

kidnap: to take a person away illegally by force, usually in order to demand money in exchange for releasing them.

The "usually" refers to the money, but the part that is "always" is the existence of an intent.

There was no intent here. This was a mistake, not on purpose. Nobody would say, unless to make a joke, "i was kidnapped by an elevator" Because the elevator works automatically, it has no intent to take the person by force and hold them hostage.

Can't believe i had to type this down.



There plainly was intent.

The train operator deliberately drove the train, with passengers on it, to places they knew the passengers didn't want to go, and did not allow them a chance to get out sooner.

If a taxi driver were to do the same thing we would say he kidnapped his passengers.

The fact that trains are operated by big corporations does not absolve them of responsibility. If anything they should be held to a higher standard, not a lower one.

(I can't believe I had to type this down.)




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