The Weirdest Things People Have Forgotten In Uber Rides
There are plenty of rules that Uber drivers have to abide by, but passengers are also expected to be courteous by keeping track of what they bring along. If you're a frequent Uber rider, chances are you've had your moments of forgetfulness from time to time. Leaving behind a personal belonging in your Uber ride can be frustrating, but it is not an uncommon occurrence by any means.
In fact, Uber Newsroom has made a tradition of highlighting these mishaps with its annual Uber Lost and Found Index, which showcases the most commonly left behind items, peak times for absentminded activity, and which cities are the most forgetful within their respective years. Now in its eighth year, this eccentric list has only gotten odder as the years have gone on.
While certain objects such as clothing, wallets, phones, headphones, and jewelry once again were among the most common lost items, a more interesting grab bag of belongings also found its way onto the floors and seats of Uber rides across the country. From pet turtles and expensive blueberries to car engines and bidets, it's impossible to predict what's going to show up any given year. It's time we take a look at some of these strange finds and try to understand how they got to where they ended up.
Famous faces
The chances of us average, everyday Joes getting to meet big-name celebrities and cultural figures are slim to none, but that doesn't mean we can't admire them in our own ways. Celebrating these incredible individuals and their achievements can look different for everyone, whether that means supporting their work, telling our friends and families about them ad nauseam, or owning memorabilia or merchandise relating to them or their work. As it turns out, the latter has made its fair share of rounds on Uber rides.
Among the 50 most unique lost items on the 2024 Uber Lost and Found Index was a poster of former First Lady Hilary Clinton, which, depending on its size, makes you wonder how easy it was to lose. Also on that list were two pieces related to two of the biggest music events of 2023 — Beyoncé's Renaissance Tour and Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. However, while a Beyoncé fold-up fan might be a sad but ultimately inconsequential loss, one unlucky rider left a framed autographed by Swift behind on their Uber. Hopefully, they were able to get their piece back safely; otherwise, they would have just made their Uber driver very rich.
Pregnancy-related products
Finding out whether or not you're going to have a baby can be nerve-wracking on its own. Want to spike up that anxiety even more? How about being one of the people on the Uber Lost and Found Index who forgot their pregnancy-related items on their ride home?
Both 2023 and 2024 saw pregnancy tests as part of the lists. Whether or not they were used likely doesn't make asking the Uber driver to look around for them any less awkward. Another person from the 2024 list said that they lost their girlfriend's "pregnant pills," but it's unclear if they're talking about birth control pills, prenatal multivitamins, or something else. Someone else gave a much more definite answer when sharing that they lost Plan B Contraceptive pills purchased from Costco. The same individual also left behind a BaBylissPRO machine, which, upon first seeing it alongside the mention of Plan B pills, may sound like a baby-adjacent product but is actually a massage tool used by barbers and stylists.
Live animals
Even if it's not ideal, sometimes our furry, feathery, and scaly friends have to accompany us on our Uber rides. Usually, as long as the animal is well-behaved and contained properly, there isn't much cause for concern. But sometimes, people accidentally leave their pets behind on the Uber, leading to some pretty strange encounters.
From toy poodles to hamsters to spiders, a wide variety of pets have graced the 2023 and 2024 Uber Lost and Found Index. Oddly enough, one of the most common animals to see on these lists is turtles. 2024 saw a live pet turtle featured, 2023 included two pet turtles, and 2022 had a tortoise on the list. It's not too hard to believe that an animal as small, quiet, and slow as one of these shelled reptiles could be left behind and not throw much of a fuss. Nevertheless, it breaks our hearts to hear about these sweet little guys getting left behind. Thankfully, these critters were successfully reunited with their parents.
Lots of food
We've all had to take a bite while on the go from time to time. Even on an Uber ride, it's not uncommon to find passengers chowing down. However, some riders bring more with them than a bag of McDonald's, resulting in a surprising number of food items that have been forgotten.
It may come as a surprise to the quantity of food left behind by some people. The 2023 Lost and Found Index included one individual who reported losing six cheesecakes on their ride, while someone on the 2024 Index forgot an entire jar of oysters. Other edible oddities found on the 2024 list include a whole smoked pork belly, a tray of meat pie, a pan containing chicken spaghetti, garlic butter from Benihana, a cooler full of meat, and what seems to be a recipe for a ham sandwich with bread, a pack of ham, and some mayonnaise, with the same individual also forgetting a pair of underwear.
The most painful cases are people who have lost particularly pricey food items. One of these was a person who forgot their leftovers from the Chicago-based pizza joint, Pizzeria Portofino, in their Uber, which they noted as especially expensive. Another individual left behind two packages of blueberries that were not only high-priced but also completely sold out at their local grocery store.
Things we didn't know you could lose
While you may have been left scratching your head as to how some of the previously mentioned artifacts were left behind, it's not impossible to piece together how their owners might have forgotten them. Then there are the others — forgotten objects and trinkets so out there that you'll be left with more questions than answers.
Everything from cardboard cutouts of pandas to fake butts have found their way to the Uber Lost and Found Index one way or another. Ever had a hard time describing the wallet or pair of sunglasses you left behind to your Uber driver? Try imagining the bewildered reactions of drivers who were informed that their riders forgot an ankle monitor, slushy machine, or even a bidet.
Many of the strangest lost and found items sound way too big to forget. One person forgot the especially odd combination of a quality camping stove and some funeral pamphlets. Another person left behind a garden fence in their Uber — surely holding back their spring DIY plans. Someone even forgot an engine for their Jeep Liberty, which, given the immense weight of these engines, was surely not appreciated by the Uber driver's back tires.
Perhaps the most jaw-dropping report was from someone who shared that they lost their girlfriend — yes, an entire adult human being — which poses more questions than anyone has time to answer. We may never know the full story behind these eccentric finds, but it ought to make you think twice about what to take with you on your next Uber.