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New York City Tops List of Most Forgetful Ride-Share Passengers
In an intriguing revelation, New York City has been identified as the most forgetful city when it comes to ride-sharing, according to Uber‘s ninth annual Lost & Found Index. This yearly report compiles a humorous and sometimes bizarre list of items left behind in vehicles by passengers over the past year. Following closely behind New York in passenger absentmindedness were Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.
Mercury Retrograde and Lost Items: A Possible Connection?
The ride-share company, based in San Francisco, released this data coinciding with planet Mercury emerging from retrograde. Astrologers suggest this celestial event can contribute to increased forgetfulness.
Peak Day for Lost Items
Data from the previous year indicated that April 5th saw an especially high volume of misplaced possessions, with over 7,000 riders reporting lost items on that single day.
Astrological Explanations
“During Mercury retrograde, things can become erratic,” explained Quinn Cox, an author and astrologer residing in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Cox suggested this astrological phenomenon could explain the April surge in lost items. However, Uber‘s report noted no apparent cosmic rationale for October 26th being the date with the highest number of lost items throughout the year. Cox wryly mentioned, “although that is Hillary Clinton’s birthday.”
The New York Factor: Volume and Urban Stress
The sheer volume of ride-share trips in New York City might contribute to the higher frequency of lost items. Additionally, factors such as congestion pricing and the pressures of living in a demanding and expensive metropolis could also play a role in passenger absentmindedness.
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Items Commonly Forgotten in Ride-Shares
Uber’s data reveals common patterns in misplaced belongings across all locations, with surprising specificity. For example, gloves are most frequently lost on Mondays, while jackets are typically left behind on Tuesdays. Wednesday sees a peak in forgotten medication. Umbrellas tend to be misplaced most often on Thursdays and Fridays, and cowboy hats are commonly lost on Saturdays.
Sunday Debit Card Mystery and Unusual Lost Items
The reason for a surge in debit card losses on Sundays remains unexplained, adding to the many mysteries of the Uber Lost & Found Index. Beyond the commonplace items, the index also raises questions about why passengers bring and then forget items such as urinals, turtles, chainsaws, or mannequin heads with human hair.
Intriguing and Bizarre Lost Property
Even more perplexing are the circumstances surrounding items like fifteen hookahs, a taxidermied rabbit, or a Viking drinking horn – prompting questions about the destinations of riders carrying such unusual objects.
Uber Executive Comments on Lost Items
Camiel Irving, Uber’s Vice President of Operations and General Manager of Mobility for the United States and Canada, commented on the findings, stating, “From wayward mannequin heads to live lobsters, Uber riders have left behind some truly unforgettable items this year.”
Personal Experience of Lost Items
Speaking from her Boston office, Irving shared a personal anecdote, acknowledging that given the “billions of Uber trips” taken annually, forgotten items are inevitable. “I recently left a Bottega Veneta wallet” in an Uber, she admitted, adding, “You can imagine there was a little bit of stress with that.” However, she praised the ease of retrieving lost items through the app: “A quick text in the app and I just had to step out of a meeting briefly, which I was more than happy to do.”
Drivers’ Perspective on Passenger Forgetfulness
Uber drivers, particularly the approximately 80,000 in New York represented by the Independent Drivers Guild, likely have vivid memories of unusual items passengers leave behind. It’s hard to forget encounters with items like a five-gallon bucket of beans, 175 hamburger sliders, a Bojangles chicken tender combo, or melting Sunny Delight ice cream.
Driver Anecdotes of Lost Items
Diston Salina, a 29-year-old Uber driver with nine years of experience, shared his daily experiences with lost property during a recent ride. “I’ve had two sets of glasses today, headphones, keys, phones,” Salina recounted. “One time I had lost wallets back to back.”
Reactions to Unusual Finds
While occasionally surprised or concerned by certain lost items, such as pocketknives left behind in the Bronx which unnerved him, Salina generally takes the stream of ride-share detritus in stride.
Valuable and Consumable Lost Items
Salina noted, “People leave liquor, beer, good bottles of wine,” adding with a touch of humor, “Believe me, they’re calling me for that.”
Alcohol and Legal Documents: Potential Reasons for Forgetfulness
The prevalence of alcoholic beverages in the Lost & Found Index suggests that many Uber riders might be somewhat inebriated even before setting their destination in the app. An informal survey of drinks discovered in Uber vehicles last year—including a gallon of Grey Goose, a case of White Claw, and Remy Martin cognac with peach lemonade—points to either a pattern of boozy riders or perhaps underscores the pressures of contemporary life.
Legal Documents Frequently Left Behind
Considering the significant number of summonses, liens, divorce papers, and legal documents that Uber lists among commonly lost items, it appears that the stresses of modern life, rather than just Mercury retrograde, may often drive riders to seek a drink.