Leaf blower. eye prosthesis. Potato salad. It’s amazing what people leave behind in their cars when they’re out and about, whether it’s in a taxi, rental car or with chauffeur services. In any case, according to Uber, passengers around the world have scrambled more than ever before. Once a year, the travel agent evaluates the search queries about things that users have forgotten in the car and wanted to have back. This “Lost and Found Index” also shows in which countries and cities the passengers are the most forgetful.
It is also a helpful reminder for passengers as to which of their belongings they should pay more attention to when disembarking in the future. A great deal is lost in Germany, and passengers in Munich, Stuttgart and Cologne are particularly forgetful. In a European comparison, the Germans even make it into the top four of the most clumsy nations. Only passengers in Turkey, Great Britain and Norway are more forgetful.
And what is left most often in the car in this country? First of all, of course, the usual suspects: mobile phones, wallets, keys, luggage, headphones, clothes, glasses, hats, handbags and ID cards.
Of course, quite strange things are also accidentally forgotten in the rush and reported as missing: the wedding cake, three designer chairs at once, dentures, a Billie Eilish ukulele and a live tortoise. A potato salad was actually searched for, which its German owner really wanted to have back.
There is almost nothing that people around the world don’t lose in their cars. The most valuable item according to the Uber index was a ruby-gold watch in South Africa, the strangest a prosthetic eye in Australia, worryingly a butcher knife and bulletproof vest that guests in the US forgot.
Incidentally, the most popular brands that were left behind were also evaluated. Toyota keys were the most lost, followed by Honda, BMW and Jeep. For apparel, Nike was the most popular brand, followed by Louis Vuitton and Gucci.
Such losses are annoying, sometimes even a moderate catastrophe, such as the forgotten “Chinese passport and two snorkel goggles” of a vacationer who was in a particular hurry. One can really feel sorry for the young passenger who, of all things, had messed up a handmade token of love: “A crocheted strawberry that my girlfriend made for me. She means a lot to me,” he wrote desperately to support. It is not known whether the loss resulted in a severe relationship crisis and whether the man received the red crocheted fruit key ring back.
If you miss something after a trip, you should call the driver immediately – directly via the app. Unfortunately, however, the most frequently forgotten object worldwide is the mobile phone, which is why the missing person report also works via the customer account. Incidentally, in the USA the return costs a bowl fee. The driver gets $15 compensation for his time and effort.
According to Uber, the Swiss are the most exemplary; they lose the least. The most bizarre thing that our neighbors reported as “lost remains” was a golden set of teeth.
Fuel prices are still very high. This should actually also encourage fuel-efficient driving. But a study shows that only very few drivers are interested on the Autobahn.
Source: WELT/ Viktoria Schulte
