A framed Taylor Swift autograph, meditation crystals, and a leaf thatโs โmuch neededโ: The makings of someoneโs #bestdayever? Not quite. These are just a small sample of the oddest items left in Ubers.
Tile referenced Uberโs Lost & Found Index to identify the most common items left behind in Ubersโand showcase some of the stranger items people left behind. The report covers Uberโs lost item data from April 2023 to March 2024.
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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 itemsโphones, jewelry, wallets, and headphonesโwere 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 drinkingโa 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.
Whatโs 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 Uberโs Q1 2024 report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, about 15% of the companyโs rides start from or end at an airport, which can be stressful to navigate and can split travelersโ 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 donโt leave their jackets, luggage, or anything else behind.
Despite taking every precaution, itโs 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.
![Frontal hair toupee Toupee.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/toupeeeditGUZK.png)
Lukchaysongkon // Shutterstock
Frontal hair toupee
Image: A brown-hair toupee with a few white-hair strands.
![Hot sauce and a Breathalyzer A breathalyzer test.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/breathXW4G.jpg)
M-Production // Shutterstock
Hot sauce and a Breathalyzer
Image: A Breathalyzer test shows a .08 blood alcohol contentโthe legal limit to drive in all 50 states.
![Two containers with spiders in them A spider in a jar.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/spiderW1JV.jpg)
Leoniek van der Vliet // Shutterstock
Two containers with spiders in them
Image: A spider crawling in a glass jar.
![Wi-Fi hot spots and mobile routers Person holding smartphone with Wi-Fi connection.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/2024-07/wi-fi-hot-spot.png)
Canva
Wi-Fi hot spots and mobile routers
Image: A person holding up a smartphone showing they are connected to Wi-Fi.
![Ceramic cat A ceramic cat.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/catJ6KJ.jpg)
meenyfancy // Shutterstock
Ceramic cat
Image: A white ceramic cat, smiling with its eyes closed, wearing a red necklace with a gold pendant.
![Jar of oysters A jar of oysters.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/oystersDQKL.png)
kajeab_pongsiri // Shutterstock
Jar of oysters
Image: A jar of oysters.
![Small rat skeleton prop A rat skeleton prop.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/rat6CFB.png)
Canva
Small rat skeleton prop
Image: A small rat skeleton prop with black eyes holding up its front paws.ย
![Fake tooth / retainer A colorful retainer in a green case.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/retainer3OKF.png)
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Fake tooth / retainer
Image: A rainbow-colored retainer sitting in a green case.
![Garden fence A small white fence.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/fencerollA8W5.jpg)
Aleksey Krylov // Shutterstock
Garden fence
Image: A rolled-up miniature white garden fence.
![Live pet turtle A small turtle.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/turtleRU8R.png)
Canva
Live pet turtle
Image: A small turtle sitting on a person's hands.
![Waist beads and a burrito steamer Beads.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/beadsPLAE.png)
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Waist beads and a burrito steamer
Image: Various strands of colorful beads.
![Small box containing a gnome Two small gnomes in a box.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/gnomeY69O.png)
Canva
Small box containing a gnome
Image: Two miniature gnomesโone with a purple hat and the other greenโsit in a heart-shaped wooden box.
![Stand-up paddleboard paddle A paddle.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/paddle7XAN.png)
Canva
Stand-up paddleboard paddle
Image: About a dozen yellow paddleboard paddles standing up straight.
![Contraceptive Plan B Contraceptive pills.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/contr2YY3.png)
Canva
Contraceptive Plan B
Image: A person's hands opening a package of contraceptive pills.
![A panic button A man pushing a red button.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/panic934W.jpg)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
A panic button
Image: A man pushing a red button on a device hanging from his neck.
![A spear and a furry fox tail A furry fox tail.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/foxLH8V.jpg)
loocmill // Shutterstock
A spear and a furry fox tail
Image: A furry reddish-brown fox tail.
![A tray of meat pie A tray of meat pie.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/2024-07/meatpiew410.jpg)
Elena Hramova // Shutterstock
A tray of meat pie
Image: A sliced meat pie in a dish sitting on a dining table.
![3 feathers 3 feathers.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/3feathersI7A9.png)
lcswart // Shutterstock
3 feathers
Image: Three black feathers with a white polka-dotted pattern.
![Poster of Hillary Clinton A poster of Hillary Clinton.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/HillaryCU1NO.png)
JEWEL SAMAD/AFP // Getty Images
Poster of Hillary Clinton
Image: A yellow-and-black stylized stencil portrait of former secretary of state and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
![Panty liner and $1,000 A roll of cash.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/rollUR30.png)
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Panty liner and $1,000
Image: A rolled-up collection of $100 bills.
![Cardboard cutout panda An origami panda.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/origamiEYCT.png)
Chase D'animulls // Shutterstock
Cardboard cutout panda
Image: A black-and-white origami panda.
![Beard softener A small vial of oil.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/oilX8NE.png)
Canva
Beard softener
Image: A small vial of beard oil.
![Paternity test A test kit.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/dna9ZBJ.jpg)
nevodka // Shutterstock
Paternity test
Image: A test kit with a tube and test instructions lying on a table.ย
![WWE championship belt A wrestling championship belt.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/wrestlingYAAY.jpg)
Eric Broder Van Dyke // Shutterstock
WWE championship belt
Image: A World Wrestling Federation Heavyweight championship belt.
![Engraved Harry Potter wand A Harry Potter wand.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/wandKKAY.jpg)
MERCURY Studio // Shutterstock
Engraved Harry Potter wand
Image: A magic wand prop resting on a table.
Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Tim Bruns. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick.
This story originally appeared on Tile and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.