2 days ago
Uber's annual Lost & Found Index reveals items most commonly forgotten by Australians
An Esky full of seafood, a Steve Irwin action figure and $1200 worth of meat raffle winnings are just some of the unique items left behind in Ubers this year.
The rideshare company have just released its annual Lost & Found Index, and some distinctive lost property gives a glimpse into the habits of Australian travellers.
On the list of the 'most unique' lost items were $500 worth of live exotic fish, a vibrator, a cooked chicken, a puppy, half a pair of dentures, and what Uber deemed a 'suspicious' amount of belts.
Other highlights on the list were a sword, Lamborghini keys, and an electric doughnut maker.
The most commonly forgotten items, however, were everyday possessions, including clothing, luggage, phones, jewellery, headphones, wallets and keys.
Uber Australia and New Zealand's director of consumer operations Mathieu Maire said the index showed 'a quintessentially Aussie' insight into how we travel.
'People misplace things for all sorts of reasons – maybe they're in a rush, juggling too much or just a bit distracted,' Mr Maire said.
'Behind every lost item, there's often a little story.
'Whether it's your love letter or your lightsaber, we know how important it is to be reunited with your belongings.'
Australian forgetfulness habits change depending on the day of the week, according to the index.
On Mondays, hats are commonly forgotten, jackets are lost on Tuesday and Fridays, iPads on Wednesdays and AirPods on Thursdays.
Phones are most likely to go missing on the weekend.
The time of day also seems to make an impact; Australians are most forgetful during the morning rush hour and when coming home from a night out at 2am.
Sydney topped the list as Australia's most 'forgetful' city, followed closely by Melbourne at No.2.
Next on the list were Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, the Gold Coast and Canberra.
Uber has encouraged anyone who lost something in a rideshare to reach out by contacting their driver directly.
'Our built-in tools make it easy to reconnect with your driver and retrieve your belongings with as little hassle as possible,' Mr Maire said.
30 most unique lost items:
Mini Steve Irwin toy
$500 worth of live exotic fish
Vibrator
A cooked chicken
Esky with crabs and fish
Puppy
Portable CPAP machine
Bottom denture
$1200 meat raffle prize
Cat scratching post
Massage table
Sword
Breathalyser
Electric doughnut maker
Kung fu belt
Rugby ball shaped cufflinks
Love letter
Lightsaber
Breast pump executor
Hair extensions
Jar of bee pollen
Police documents
Crochet peas
Clown nose
Green gremlin toy
$400 worth of concert merch
Bass guitar
Christmas lights box with $1,500 cash inside
Teeth grills
Suspicious amount of belts
10 most commonly forgotten items:
Clothing
Backpacks/luggage
Phones
Jewellery
Headphones
Wallets/purses
Keys
Laptops
Vapes
Glasses
15 most 'forgetful' cities:
Sydney, NSW
Melbourne, VIC
Perth, WA
Brisbane, QLD
Adelaide, SA
Gold Coast, QLD
Canberra, ACT
Newcastle, NSW
Hobart, TAS
Cairns, QLD
Darwin, NT
Sunshine Coast, QLD
Geelong, VIC
Wollongong, NSW
Ballarat, VIC
