Whether you’re hitching a ride to the airport for an elongated trip, driving to a relative’s home for the holidays, or simply catching a quick ride across town on a random week day, travel can be extremely stressful. There are a myriad of circumstances which may lead you to become a bit scatterbrained in the back of an Uber, and even more that may cause you to leave something behind. This was the case for a litany of riders throughout the 2024 calendar year, according to the marketing department at the rideshare service, as Uber has unveiled a list of some of the wackiest things to be left behind in one of their cars. As part of a promotional event launched a pop-up in Manhattan, the Big Apple was deemed the “most forgetful city” in America due to the sheer volume of items left in the back of people’s cars.
Since the company is celebrating the humorous side of these lost items, now seems like as good a time as any to outline what exactly you should do to get your belongings back after you step out of your ride. We’ll outline some of Uber’s most bizarre findings, before running through the slightly murky details of who is responsible for lost items. With no further preamble, let’s dive right in, and see what we can learn from the so-called “most forgetful city” in the nation.
What Items Did Uber Riders Leave Behind?
As you can imagine, Uber drivers across the globe have been inundated with lost wallets, keys and phones, among other day-to-day items. Per the company’s recent showcase, riders in Manhattan have developed a reputation for losing their umbrellas, headphones and lunches as well. One shocking report even indicated that a rider left behind a staggering order of 175 burgers, prompting the rideshare company to shell out for Shake Shack catering at their event. Other eyebrow raising items discarded by riders include Ozempic prescriptions, divorce agreements and even a live pet turtle. A chainsaw was on display at the pop-up as well, after allegedly being left behind by an NYC rider. Elsewhere at the event, signs indicated that Uber drivers had discovered such shocking belongings as live lobsters, a viking drinking horn and a whole urinal
Research data provided by Uber indicated that Oct. 26 was the most forgetful day of the year in 2024, with millions of global reports of lost items. A brief glance at a calendar would reveal that the 26th was the Saturday preceding Halloween, so lots of these riders were probably stumbling home after a raucous night on the town, perhaps wearing outfits with fewer pockets than what they’re used to. Additional data suggested that Philadelphia Eagles fans were the most forgetful community, with Eagles gear being left behind in a wide array of cars. While Uber outlined these findings in a jovial way, the company also provided some key insight into the art of retrieving lost belongings too. Their guide should be quite helpful, just in case you didn’t intend to leave behind your pet lobster as a tip, swaddled in a Jalen Hurts jersey.
What To Do When You Leave Something Behind In An Uber
If you find yourself nervously patting your pockets after stepping out of your ride, you may be wondering how to go about getting your items back. Luckily, Uber has a full guide listed on their official help page dedicated to riders in this exact predicament. For starters, clients are instructed to contact their driver directly. To do this, navigate to the “Account” option in the bottom righthand corner of the app, and select “Trips.” Select the ride where you believe you left your missing item behind, and indicate “Find Lost Item.” From there, you should see an option to contact your driver directly through the app, which ensures security and privacy for both users.
If you have difficulty reaching your driver, don’t fret. Uber customer service also has methods of reaching out to them on your behalf, just in case they’re already busy with a new customer. To establish this connection, follow the previous steps to “Find Lost Item” on the “Trips” page. From there, tap on “I need to contact my driver about a lost item.” A question will pop up, asking if you were able to connect with your driver. If you select the “No” option, a form will appear, allowing you to detail the items you have left behind. At that point, all that’s left to do is sit back and relax as Uber connects with your driver. The help page claims that this process is usually completed within 24 hours.
How To Retrieve a Lost Phone From an Uber
Obviously, losing your wallet or keys can be highly stressful. Even worse, many Uber riders find themselves without their phone after exiting the vehicle, rendering them unable to function in modern society. Luckily, there is an option for riders in this situation, using either a web browser or a friend’s Uber app. To find your lost phone from a browser, sign into your account and enter the “Riders” tile. From there, follow the same steps listed above to navigate your way to the “contact driver” option. This should allow you to get in contact with your driver using another phone number, or via FaceTime, iMessage or any other means of communication linked to your computer.
To access your rides from a friend’s phone, select “My friend/relative lost their phone in an Uber” from the “Find Lost Item” menu. From this screen, you’ll be prompted to enter your name and an alternate contact number. You can also give special permissions to the driver to hand your phone off to your friend on your behalf, just in case you need to make an important meeting or find a replacement urinal before it’s too late.
If all else fails, you can always reach out to customer support via help.uber.com, and select “I lost my phone in Uber” on the “Account” menu. It may still be a pain getting your items back, but at least you know that your material is being handled by the Uber customer support team. The best case scenario is that you actually enjoy detoxing from your phone for a few brief hours, and enjoy the present moment while you wait.
Are Uber Drivers Responsible for Items Left Behind?
While most Uber drivers will likely be happy to return your lost items, (especially the phone that you’ll need to rate them 5 stars) it is important to note that Uber drivers are fully independent contractors. This means that they are not bound by any company code of conduct to return your belongings at all costs, and that the Uber company bears no direct responsibility for your lost items. If you believe that your driver is intentionally trying to take your belongings while claiming that they weren’t left behind, you could theoretically proceed to take them to court, and demand Uber forward a subpoena to the driver on your behalf. While this should really be viewed as a last-ditch effort for extremely high value items, Uber customer service always recommends triple checking to ensure you have everything you need before exiting your ride.
