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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Erin Keller

Ankle monitor, Meat slicer and George Washington hospital papers: These are the most unusual items left in Ubers

If you've ever left your phone in an Uber, consider yourself lucky - other riders have forgotten an ankle monitor, a meat slicer and even George Washington hospital discharge paperwork (and no, there is no further explanation on the latter.)

Uber released multiple lists Tuesday, revealing the most bizarre, uncommon and valuable items passengers have left behind in honor of the rideshare company’s 10th anniversary. If weird, leftover lost items like pelvis implants, live fish and a Donny Osmond group picture pique your interest, keep reading.

Some things, however, have never changed since Uber’s inception. Phones remained the most frequently forgotten item, with more than 1 million left behind. New York City once again earned the title of America's most forgetful city on the list, while July 17 was crowned the year's most forgetful day. Uber didn't pinpoint exactly why so many items were abandoned that day, though it noted Lady Gaga's "Mayhem Ball" tour kicked off in NYC the night before.

Nowadays, riders frequently forget some unusual items, including Labubu dolls and other collectible toys, Crocs and fitness gear such as pickleball paddles, protein powder and wellness supplements. Drivers also reported finding dental items ranging from veneers and gold grills to full sets of dentures, along with plenty of forgotten hats, vapes and flower bouquets.

All of this makes Uber’s new feature, designed to help riders recover items left behind in a vehicle, feel less like a convenience and more like a long-overdue necessity. Now, in select markets, users can request a return trip directly through the app once a driver confirms the lost item has been found. After reporting the missing item in the app, riders will be notified if it's located. They can then arrange for the original driver to deliver it to a specified address and track the return trip in real time.

The company also annouced a new feature that will - finally - allow passengers in select markets to request an Uber trip directly in the app to have their lost item returned to them (Alamy/PA)
The company also annouced a new feature that will - finally - allow passengers in select markets to request an Uber trip directly in the app to have their lost item returned to them (Alamy/PA)

Now, without further ado, here are some of Uber’s fascinating lists from its Lost & Found Index:

The 50 most “unique” lost items:

  1. Dentures with 2 teeth
  2. Breast milk
  3. Human hair
  4. Donny Osmond group picture
  5. Ankle monitor
  6. 420 donuts
  7. George Washington hospital discharge papers
  8. Sack of marbles
  9. Oxygen tank
  10. Gold mouth grillz
  11. Brand new mini fridge
  12. 1 red bottom Louboutin heel
  13. Electrical Harness
  14. Live fish
  15. Mannequin
  16. Two Trees
  17. Cape with the Statue of Liberty on it
  18. $200.00 worth of Temu items
  19. Grass
  20. A textured photo with a rhinestoned picture of Jesus
  21. A 75 gallon fish tank
  22. Pool stick in a case
  23. Fish loin for my restaurant
  24. 2 chrome exhaust tips
  25. Portable thermal printer
  26. Bald cap
  27. A dishwasher
  28. A respirator and a hard hat for work
  29. A wizard wand
  30. Welding helmet
  31. 2lb blue raspberry Gushers
  32. Shower pole
  33. Pair of partial teeth in a tissue
  34. Toboggan
  35. Police radio
  36. Coffee table
  37. Zayn Malik merch
  38. Handcuffs
  39. 2 wedding gowns
  40. Pelvis implants
  41. 20 pounds of duck sausage
  42. Package of live butterflies
  43. A propane tank
  44. Double door oven
  45. Hunting waders
  46. Child’s prosthetic eye
  47. Black stethoscope
  48. Meat slicer
  49. Kitchen faucet
  50. Sleep apnea machine
A child’s prosthetic eye was one of the more unusual items found in an Uber last year (Getty)
A child’s prosthetic eye was one of the more unusual items found in an Uber last year (Getty)

The 10 most commonly forgotten items:

  1. Phone
  2. Wallet
  3. Luggage
  4. Keys
  5. Headphones
  6. Clothing
  7. Passport
  8. Glasses
  9. Jewelry
  10. Laptop
Passports are among the most forgotten items (PA)
Passports are among the most forgotten items (PA)

The 10 most "forgetful” cities:

  1. New York, NY
  2. Miami, FL
  3. Chicago, IL
  4. San Francisco, CA
  5. Los Angeles, CA
  6. Washington D.C.
  7. Dallas, TX
  8. Boston, MA
  9. Atlanta, GA
  10. Newark, NJ
New York City is the most forgetful places in the US - especially if Lady Gaga is in town (AFP/Getty)
New York City is the most forgetful places in the US - especially if Lady Gaga is in town (AFP/Getty)

Top 15 luxury items left behind:

  1. Supreme headband
  2. Balmain navy blue blazer with gold buttons
  3. Gold Rolex
  4. Diesel cap with a big metal Diesel logo on top
  5. Air Jordan 1s
  6. Black Gucci belt
  7. Black Dior Shawl
  8. Hermes sandal
  9. Burberry throw blanket
  10. Alexander Wang heel
  11. A green Ganni bonnet
  12. Dior slides
  13. Ferragamo belt
  14. YSL jeans
  15. 1 red bottom Louboutin heel

Read Uber’s full analysis here.

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