A framed Taylor Swift autograph, meditation crystals, and a leaf that's "much needed": The makings of someone's #bestdayever? Not quite. These are just a small sample of the oddest items left in Ubers.
Tile referenced Uber's Lost & Found Index to identify the most common items left behind in Ubers—and showcase some of the stranger items people left behind. The report covers Uber's lost item data from April 2023 to March 2024.
The top 10 most-forgotten items list comes as no surprise to frequent ride-hailers. In order, passengers left: clothing, luggage, headphones, wallets, jewelry, phones, cameras, tablets or books, laptops, and vapes.
A few of these items—phones, jewelry, wallets, and headphones—were also among the items that Americans reported losing most often, according to a survey of over 2,000 Americans published by Shane Co. But others, such as clothing, luggage, and cameras, speak more to the nature of ride-hailing.
Uber rides are often associated with nights out drinking—a kind of built-in designated driver. In Colorado, a pair of researchers became ride-hail drivers to survey their passengers on the reasons they called a ride and found that nearly half were going out and/or drinking. Alcohol and fatigue are both known to muddy the mind, making it difficult to think clearly, and in turn increasing the odds of passengers leaving something behind.
Limit belongings and create a checklist to avoid losing items during a night out. Also consider creating a mental or physical list of things to double-check before departing their ride.
What's more, the most common times people reported forgetting items in an Uber were at night, with 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. taking the lead. In a dark car, quickly running a flashlight over the seats and floors can help minimize the chances of leaving something behind. This is particularly useful for those who might want to use the flashlight on the phone they thought was in their pocket (see the aforementioned top 10 list.)
Many ride-hail passengers are also in the midst of travel. According to Uber's Q1 2024 report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, about 15% of the company's rides start from or end at an airport, which can be stressful to navigate and can split travelers' focus, potentially causing them to leave their luggage or other travel necessities behind in the shuffle. Frazzled travelers should take deep breaths and try to calm their nerves for a moment before exiting their cars to ensure they don't leave their jackets, luggage, or anything else behind.
Despite taking every precaution, it's likely that passengers will continue to forget their belongings. For those who find themselves in this situation, know that items can be retrieved by calling or otherwise contacting drivers through the app, and then scheduling a meetup to get these precious objects back, if found. Uber and other ride-hailing service drivers are not responsible for lost items, and their return is not guaranteed.
Returns will cost passengers, however. Uber and Lyft each charge a $20 return fee to compensate the driver for their time. At Uber, this policy was put into place in 2017, before which time drivers returned an average of 11 lost items per year and earned nothing for it.
Nevertheless, items abandoned in Ubers are not all typical phones and vapes that slipped out of pockets. Some objects hint at fantastic adventures, comical journeys, and even a few surprising twists. Read on to browse through a selection of some of the more unique items people left behind in their Ubers, as presented by the company based on rider reports.
