If you blame yourself thinking that you are the only one who left behind something in an Uber ride, you aren’t alone. As per Uber’s 2018 'Lost and Found Index', India tops Uber’s list of most forgetful countries in the Asia Pacific region.
From mobile phones to bags to keys to grandmothers’ photo frames to bizarre things like Golda chingri (prawns), wig, kid's tricycle, LCD TVs and even mosquito net, Indians leave behind an interesting mix of items in cabs, says Uber’s recent report.
Among all the things, cricket batting pads, gold bracelets, photo frames of their grandmother, LCD TVs, children’s tricycles, children’s tent houses, mosquito nets, poker sets, cat harnesses and giant freshwater prawns (golda chingri), a Bengali delicacy are the most unusual items Indian riders leave behind in Uber cabs.
Riders in Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR were more forgetful than their counterparts in cities like Manila, Melbourne and Singapore in leaving behind items in their Uber cabs, according to the second edition of the Lost & Found Index by the US-based ride-hailing platform. Apart from Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad were also part of the top 10 'most forgetful cities' list for the Asia Pacific region.
In India, the most commonly lost items include cell phones, bags, wallets, keys/key cards/locks, clothing, ID/licenses/passports, eyewear, bottles, umbrellas and jewellery.
Interestingly, weekends are when more riders reported lost items, along with Fridays and Mondays. In fact, Uber has even tabulated the most forgetful times of the day for commuters in Delhi — 4am-5am and 1pm-3pm, especially on Fridays and Mondays — as well as the most forgetful dates — June 27, July 18, September 16 and December 31.
Across India, New Year’s Eve is one the most forgetful days for Uber riders, along with September 16.
With India emerging as the most forgetful country in APAC and Bangalore continuing to be the most forgetful city, Uber's goal is to sustain efforts in educating riders about the in-app options available to them, in case they lose something in an Uber, Sanjay Gupta, Head of Marketing at Uber India and South Asia said.
"As we approach mercury retrograde, the time of the year generally believed to spur bouts of forgetfulness, this fun and insightful index recognises Uber's most forgetful riders and may even remind them to do a 'possession pat down' before leaving the car on their next ride, he quipped.
For the uninitiated, users can report their lost item on the Uber app by selecting 'Report an issue with this trip' in the menu and then choosing 'I lost an item'.
