The 2022 Uber Lost & Found Index: Revealing New Zealand’s Quirky Forgotten Items!

As this Mercury in Retrograde comes to an end, a time often attributed to forgetfulness by astrologists, we’re releasing our sixth annual ANZ Lost & Found Index.

With good times and travels back in full swing, it’s not surprising that Kiwis have been out and about more. With this, comes an element of forgetfulness (and often a feeling of regret).

Over the past year, Kiwis have stepped it up with the weird and wacky items that they’ve left behind during their Uber trips, including a prosthetic eye, organic tomatoes or a sentimental metal straw to name a few.

The most forgetful day was New Year's Eve, with Kiwis too busy celebrating the year to remember valuables. It has also been discovered that Kiwis are most likely to lose a watch on a Sunday - so keep a close eye on the clock and the day.

“With travel back in full swing, and with Mercury in retrograde influencing forgetfulness, we’re back with Uber’s annual Lost & Found Index,” said Margarita Peker, Head of Rider at Uber ANZ.

“From a prosthetic eye and a sewing machine to a sentimental metal straw and a leaf blower, Aussies and Kiwis have been more forgetful than ever this year. As we continue encouraging the country to get going again, we look forward to helping return these lost items – no matter how bizarre they may be!”

Check out the full lists below – and most importantly, instructions for how you can retrieve your lost items.

The top five items that are were most commonly left behind during a trip over the past year:

1. Phone/camera
2. Wallet/purse
3. Keys
4. Backpack / bag / folders / box / luggage
5. Glasses

The 5 most ‘unique’ lost items:

1. A prosthetic eye
2. Organic heirloom tomatoes
3. A trophy
4. A sentimental metal straw
5. A family member

How to retrieve lost items:

Look no further than this video, which outlines the simple steps you can take the next time you leave something behind during your Uber ride.

The best way to retrieve a lost item is to call your driver - but if you leave your phone itself in the Uber ride, you can login to your account on a computer. Here’s what to do:

1. Tap “Your Trips” and select the trip where you left something
2. Scroll down and tap “Find lost item”
3. Tap “Contact driver about a lost item”
4. Scroll down and enter the phone number you would like to be contacted at. Tap submit.
5. If you lost your personal phone, enter a friend’s phone number instead (you can do this by logging into your account on a computer, or using a friend’s phone).
6. Your phone will ring and connect you directly with your driver’s mobile number.
7. If your driver picks up and confirms that your item has been found, coordinate a mutually convenient time and place to meet for its return to you.
8. If your driver doesn’t pick up, leave a detailed voicemail describing your item and the best way to contact you.

If you’re unable to find a convenient time to meet the driver, perhaps consider using Uber Package to retrieve the item. You can learn more about this here.

© Scoop Media