It’s not uncommon for Uber passengers to accidentally leave a phone or wallet behind in the car. But the ride-share company has dealt with some more ... unusual lost items as well.
On Wednesday, Uber released its eighth annual “Lost & Found Index” ― a report that breaks down the most commonly forgotten items and lists the 50 “most unique lost items” from the last 12 months. Highlights from the latest list include a fart sensor, a “See you in court” candle, two containers of spiders and a leaf.
“We developed the Uber Lost & Found Index eight years ago because we wanted to find a creative and memorable way to remind riders how to get lost items back in a few simple steps using our tech,” Lexi Levin Mitchel, Uber’s senior consumer communications manager, told HuffPost. “And we chose to release the Index each year in the spring, when Mercury goes into retrograde ― which astrologists say influence forgetfulness.”
The report also includes the most forgetful date (Jan. 21) and hours (9 p.m. and 10 p.m.), as well as the “peak” days of the week for certain lost items. And Uber ranked the 10 most forgetful cities: Miami, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Orlando, Phoenix, Tampa Bay, Denver and Austin.
“I’m always surprised by the wild and unique items reported lost each year,” Mitchel said. “Some of my favourites this year were the live turtle, all of the Beyoncé branded items, and the panic button. And I was surprised to see Miami jump up six spots from last year to take the title for most forgetful city.”
In addition to the 50 unique lost items list, there’s also an amusing list of the “top 20 forgotten food items” ― including Benihana garlic butter, a tray of meat pies and a “fly ass burrito.”
The report notes that red was the most common colour for lost items, and the most frequently forgotten car keys were from Mini Cooper drivers.
And for those who find themselves in this situation, there are instructions for retrieving items lost in a ride-share situation.
First, try to contact the driver. Ride-share apps offer options for calling or messaging drivers about lost items after the ride has ended. (If the lost item is your phone, you can log into the ride-share company’s app on a different device to report your lost item.)
Once you’re in contact with the driver, you can coordinate a pickup time and location, or if the driver doesn’t answer at first, leave a detailed message with a description of the item and the best way to contact you. Reach out to customer service if you still can’t get in touch about your lost item.
“We all know that feeling of panic when you realise you’ve left something behind,” Mitchel said. “We hope the Lost & Found Index reminds riders to check the backseat when they hop out of an Uber, as well as how to get their belongings back in case they do leave something behind. Of course, we hope the data makes people laugh, too!”
Keep scrolling for 10 of the strangest things from Uber’s unique lost items list, and for more lost item insights, check out the full report.
- Fart sensor.
- Candle that says “See you in court.”
- Two containers with spiders in them.
- A panic button.
- A live pet turtle.
- A leaf. (According to the user’s report, it was “much needed.”)
- WWE championship belt.
- Three Japanese ceramic decorative cats — one gold, one black and one pink. All fist-sized.
- Waist beads and a burrito steamer.
- Frontal hair toupee.