Ukulele, cornflakes, clothes, phones: Bizarre items Uber customers left behind; Delhi most forgetful

Amid the celestial chaos of Mercury in retrograde, renowned for making people more forgetful, Uber has released its highly anticipated 2024 Lost and Found Index. 

This annual report provides a fascinating insight into the most commonly forgotten items in Uber cabs or autos, the most absentminded cities, and the peak times when Uber riders tend to misplace their belongings.

For the second year in a row, Delhi retains its honour as the nation's most forgetful city, followed closely by Mumbai, while Bangalore competed ahead of Hyderabad to reclaim its spot at third. Pune continues to round out the top five. 

Backed by valuable insights and data, Uber's Lost and Found Index serves as a quirky yet informative guide for riders, highlighting the in-app options available for retrieving lost items during their Uber trips.

The items left behind are as varied as they are essential, ranging from phones and wallets to more unusual items like ukuleles and coin collections. Additionally, important documents like passports, bank papers, and business documents have been mistakenly left behind in Uber.

Top 5 Most Commonly Forgotten Items

1. Phone
2. Laptop bags
3. Clothing
4. Keys
5. Headphones

Most bizarre items lost:

1. Ukulele
2. Coin collection
3. Cornflakes
4. Prasad

Drawing further connections from the data, passengers appear to be the most forgetful over the weekends. Saturdays, followed by Fridays and Sundays, witness the highest incidents of forgetfulness in Uber, particularly around the peak time of 7 pm. Additionally, the festive period around Diwali saw a notable spike in items left in Uber, underscoring a seasonal trend of distraction. 

Interestingly, blue items, amongst the other colours, were the most commonly forgotten, followed by red and pink. Furthermore, riders with Apple devices were identified as the most forgetful group over the past year.

Top 3 Phone Brands Left in Uber

1. Apple
2. Samsung
3. Redmi

Nitish Bhushan, Head of Central Operations at Uber, remarks on the index, stating, "We’ve all experienced that sudden realization of leaving something behind. Our aim with the Lost and Found Index is not just to highlight trends but also to remind riders of the simple steps available via the Uber app to retrieve lost items."

As the stars realign, Uber’s report not only offers a glimpse into our forgetful habits but also serves as a timely reminder of the tools at our disposal to reclaim our lost belongings.