Uber has released their eighth annual Lost & Found Index, providing insight into what exactly riders are leaving behind in their Uber rides. The 2024 Uber Lost & Found Index shows that riders still keep forgetting the usual items — phone, keys, wallet — but many have left behind unusual, and sometimes questionable, items as well. Uber also revealed the top 10 most “forgetful” cities, as well as which items are most commonly lost on each day of the week.
So, before you get out of your next Uber, make sure you grab your purse, phone, and yes, your pet turtle. Remember this list when you're using a rideshare so you don't lose money and time fixing your mistake. You don’t want to have to go through the process of getting your keys, or your pet, back from your driver, and I can assure you they don’t either.
Most forgotten items
Here are the top 10 items most commonly forgotten by Uber passengers, and they're what you'd expect someone to leave behind. In fact, you’ve probably forgotten one of these items yourself.
- 1. Clothing
- 2. Luggage
- 3. Headphones
- 4. Wallet
- 5. Jewelry
- 6. Phone
- 7. Camera
- 8. Tablet or book
- 9. Laptop
- 10. Vape
Further, here are the items people are most likely to forget on each day of the week. January 21st is the most forgetful day of the year, with the most lost items recorded.
- Monday: Luggage
- Tuesday: Headphones
- Wednesday: Wallets
- Thursday: Jewelry
- Friday: Phones
- Saturday: Vapes
- Sunday: Clothing
While these items are pretty much what you’d expect to be left behind in a ride, you’d be surprised by what else people forget. According to Uber, here are some of the most “unique” and unusual forgotten items.
Most unusual forgotten items
The following items will have you questioning how someone could possibly forget them in an Uber, or even have them in the first place.
- Frontal hair toupee
- Hot sauce and a breathalyzer
- Two containers with spiders in them
- Jar of oysters
- Small rat skeleton prop
- A fake tooth/retainer
- My live pet animal turtle
- Benihana garlic butter
- Poster of Hillary Clinton
- Meditation crystals
- Paternity test
- Jeep Liberty engine
- Standup paddleboard paddle
- A tray of meat pie
Most forgetful cities
These following cities are the top 10 most "forgetful."
- 1. Miami, FL
- 2. Los Angeles, CA
- 3. Atlanta, GA
- 4. Houston, TX
- 5. Dallas, TX
- 6. Orlando, FL
- 7. Phoenix, AZ
- 8. Tampa Bay, FL
- 9. Denver, CO
- 10. Austin, TX
What to do if you forget something in an Uber
If you leave something in your Uber ride, don't fret. Follow the below steps from Uber on how to retrieve your lost item.
- Login to your Uber account and tap Main Menu
- Select “Your Trips” and then choose the trip you left your item in.
- Tap “Find lost item” and then “Contact driver about a lost item.”
- Enter your phone number to call the driver.
- If your driver picks up and confirms that your item has been found, coordinate a mutually convenient time and place to meet for its return to you.
- If your driver doesn’t pick up, leave a detailed voicemail describing your item and the best way to contact you.
- And remember to be considerate, the driver’s schedule will be affected by taking time to return your item to you.
