No item left behind: What did people forget in their Ubers last year?

Uber's newly published lost and found index has provided insight into riders' lost possessions, which range from common everyday items all the way to strange and unusual ones.

The index reminds us that all of us are prone to losing just about every item imaginable, and provides those who find themselves in this position with an easy guide as to how to retrieve lost items.

Lost something? It's always in the last place you look for it

The most common items on Uber's index are to be expected, with slots one to three taken up with clothes, phones and backpacks or purses.

However, clothing wasn't always the most left-behind item, and last year it was only the sixth item on the list.

Uber customers who forget the most items are located in Jacksonville, Florida; San Antonio, Texas; and Palm Springs, California, in that order.

This again, differs from last year, when Austin, Texas dominated the leaderboard for the second year in a row. However, they seem to have been more attentive this year, as they weren't featured at all in the top ten most forgetful locations.

Moving on to the more unusual items that were found in Ubers across the world this year, these were some highlights from the list.

• A Danny Devito Christmas ornament
• An ankle monitor 
• 16 oz of fake blood
• two fingernails
• A fake tooth.

One forgetful customer even reported having forgotten his girlfriend behind as he stepped out of his Uber.

Uber also took the opportunity to remind recreational and medicinal marijuana users not to forget items ranging from "bags of weed to pre-rolls and pens," adding that there has been "a 'high' increase in forgotten ganja goods".

Gamers also need to watch out, as the Nintendo Switch was the most lost gaming device lost this year with over 70 lost.

April 5, 2022, was the most forgetful day of the year with some 1,000 lost item reports, and April 9 followed in second place, beating out New Year's Day.

Don't forget your furry friends

An increased number of animal owners calling Ubers has inevitably led to an increase in those animals being left behind, as Uber reported that dogs, turtles, hamsters, and even a rat, were left behind.

Not to worry though, all animals were reunited with their forgetful owners. 

11:00 pm is the most forgetful time of day, with it being the most common time of the day to report lost items, indicating that whether people are coming home from work or going out, they are likely to forget something.

I forgot my phone - now what?

Uber recommends that if a rider has lost an item they should check Uber's help page and follow the instructions. But, if they have also misplaced their phone, then they can follow these simple steps.

First, log in to your account and check "Your Trips," and find the trip on which you lost the item.

Then select "find lost item" and then click "contact driver about lost item," upon which you will be prompted to enter your phone number to call the driver. If the driver answers and confirms they found your item, you can set up an appropriate time and place for the driver to return the item. I

If the driver does not answer then leave a detailed voice message describing the lost item and the best means of contacting you.

Finally, Uber asks you to be considerate, as drivers' schedules will be affected by returning your item.

To see a full list of forgotten goods, you can head to the Uber 2023 Lost & Found Index.