We’ve all been there: that moment of rushing out of a rental car, juggling luggage, trying to make a flight, or just desperate to get home after a long trip. In the scramble, it’s all too easy to forget a phone, a pair of sunglasses, or even a set of keys. You sign the papers, drop the keys, and off you go, probably not giving a second thought to the vehicle you just spent days or weeks driving. But what if you knew the incredible, often bizarre, and sometimes downright alarming treasures (or rather, non-treasures) that previous renters left behind for the cleaning crew to discover?
If you thought your worst rental car woes involved a weird smell or a long wait at the counter, you’re about to have your mind blown. A recent Free Press report recounted a reporter’s less-than-stellar experience with a smelly Tesla and an unwelcome bedbug, which prompted readers to share their own horror stories. While some tales focused on putrid odors like a car that smelled “like someone exploded a dog inside,” or like “a dead fish in the Orlando sun,” the real shockers emerge when you delve into the ‘lost and found’ of rental car agencies.
From items that raise serious questions about human behavior to discoveries that could only be explained by a bizarre movie plot, rental car employees have seen it all. We’re talking about things that make you wonder, ‘How on earth did someone forget THAT?!’ Get ready to take a wild ride through the most shocking, weird, and sometimes utterly gross things people have have left in rental cars. You might just double-check your back seat next time!
1. **A Toddler**Let’s kick things off with a discovery that truly stops you in your tracks and immediately calls for a ‘hold on, what?!’ moment. Forget your phone or wallet; imagine leaving a human being behind. Yes, you read that right. In a story that sounds like it should be ripped from a dramatic movie script, a grandfather in Florida actually managed to leave his nearly two-year-old grandson in a rental car. Talk about an unforgettable travel experience, for all the wrong reasons.
The specifics of this incredible lapse in judgment are just as shocking as the fact itself. This incident occurred at Florida’s Daytona Beach International Airport, a place usually synonymous with vacation memories, not forgotten family members. The grandfather left the young child in a locked rental vehicle for a staggering 45 minutes, a duration that, especially in Florida’s heat, could have had truly tragic consequences.
Thankfully, police deputies were able to recover the child, and despite the car being ‘very hot,’ the little one was reported to be okay. The grandfather, however, was promptly arrested. This isn’t just a case of forgetting keys; it’s a stark reminder of how easily distractions, or perhaps overwhelming circumstances, can lead to the most profound and dangerous acts of forgetfulness, leaving us all scratching our heads and wondering how such a thing could ever happen.
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2. **Firearms**Moving from the merely shocking to the genuinely dangerous, rental car agents have frequently stumbled upon items that are far more menacing than a forgotten teddy bear. We’re talking about firearms – a discovery that immediately turns a routine cleaning job into a high-stakes situation. Chris, a former rental car agent, vividly recalled finding ‘a pair of shotguns, in the trunk’ of a returned vehicle. He also mentioned ‘handguns sure. One or two pistols in the glove box,’ but it was the shotguns that truly stood out, making him question if ‘some sort of Pulp Fiction roaming hitman scenario was playing out.’
Allison, another former agent, had an even more harrowing encounter. She found ‘a loaded gun. Just tucked under the driver’s seat.’ The chilling detail? It was ‘a .38, safety off.’ Imagine the sheer terror of discovering such a loaded weapon while simply trying to clean a car. She carefully placed it in her cleaning bucket and took it to the terminal, not just for a second opinion, but to share this incredibly serious discovery with her colleagues.
Unsurprisingly, the police were called, and they took the gun away, getting the customer’s name for follow-up. But the story doesn’t end there. The very next day, the customer returned, nonchalantly claiming he’d ‘left something’ in the car and needed it back. Allison, recognizing him, informed him that his ‘abandoned property had been passed along to the police.’ His subsequent outrage and demand to know ‘why I would do such a thing’ were met with Allison’s ‘best “are you kidding me?” expression.’ He eventually ‘got the hint’ and left without the police officer’s card, leaving behind a tale of unbelievable audacity and serious negligence.
These incidents underscore not only the potential danger faced by rental car staff but also the casual disregard some individuals have for public safety. Leaving a loaded firearm, safety off, in a vehicle that will soon be rented by another unsuspecting customer, is an act of profound irresponsibility. It’s a shocking reminder that you never truly know what secrets a rental car holds from its previous occupants.
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3. **Illegal Drugs and Paraphernalia**It turns out that a rental car isn’t just a temporary ride; for some, it’s apparently a mobile dispensary or a covert drug storage unit. Former rental car agents Chris and Allison both confirmed that illegal drugs and related paraphernalia are incredibly common finds. Chris joked, or rather, speculated, that some might use a rental ‘so if a cop busts you you can blame it on whoever had the car before you.’ He regularly found ’empty coke vials rolled under the seat and the mats every weekend,’ indicating a disturbing pattern of casual use and abandonment.
Allison corroborated this, stating that ‘weed is easily the most popular drug to leave behind.’ But it didn’t stop there. Agents would also discover ‘anonymous baggies and unlabeled prescription bottles filled with pills,’ adding another layer of mystery and potential danger. And if that wasn’t enough, ‘mysterious white powder in 35mm film canisters? You bet your ass,’ she recalled. It paints a vivid picture of a revolving door of illicit activities taking place within these seemingly innocuous vehicles.
What truly bewildered Allison, especially at her ‘tender age’ when she first worked there, was ‘just how casually the illegal drugs were stored and how easily everyone left them behind.’ It’s a level of nonchalance that truly beggars belief. Chris also mentioned a particularly frightening discovery: ‘Only once was there ever a needle, which scared me more than anything, because that you could stick yourself so easily if you’re cleaning the car and don’t know it’s there.’ This highlights the very real health risks faced by employees who are simply trying to do their job.
Despite the constant flow of these illicit items, the rental agencies often have a pragmatic, if a bit disheartening, policy. Allison stated, ‘We just throw them away. It isn’t worth contacting police about some things.’ Perhaps even more astonishing, she added, ‘Sadly, no one ever called (as far as I know) wanting to get their illegal drugs back.’ It seems for many, a forgotten stash in a rental car is simply a lost cause, or perhaps, a lucky escape from a bigger problem. Either way, it’s a shocking testament to the secret lives some rental cars lead.
4. **Syringes**While ‘illegal drugs and paraphernalia’ covers a broad spectrum, one specific item found in rental cars stands out due to its immediate and visceral danger: a syringe. This isn’t just about illicit substances; it’s about sharps, biohazards, and the very real risk of accidental injury or disease transmission. One reader from Springfield, Missouri, shared a truly disturbing account of such a discovery, proving that sometimes, the most shocking things are found in the most unexpected places.
This particular incident occurred when the reader and his son were ‘well on the way to Kansas City.’ The son ‘placed his hand in the inside door handle only to discover a syringe.’ Let that sink in for a moment. An innocent gesture, reaching for a door handle, turning into a potential health crisis. The sheer surprise and potential for harm are immense, turning a family road trip into a moment of pure dread.
Given the significant distance they had already traveled, returning for a different car wasn’t a practical option. The reader mentioned that they ‘received a partial refund,’ a small consolation for the unsettling and dangerous discovery made during their journey. This kind of find is a stark reminder that rental cars, despite cleaning efforts, can sometimes harbor incredibly risky remnants from previous occupants, adding a layer of hidden hazard to what should be a straightforward travel experience.
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5. **Human Remains (Urns and Skulls)**It’s one thing to forget your keys, but quite another to misplace something as profoundly significant and personal as human remains. Rental car agencies have reported discovering both urns filled with ashes and even actual human skulls, prompting a mixture of somber reflection and morbid curiosity. The thought of someone inadvertently leaving a loved one’s final resting place in a car is a poignant example of how easily emotions and distractions can lead to monumental oversight.
One instance specifically detailed the discovery of ‘an urn full of ashes’ in a hire car. The context suggested that ‘when emotions are running high after a funeral, it’s all too easy to lose track of things.’ Imagine the grief and subsequent panic of realizing you’ve left ‘dear Sarah in the rented Ford Mustang Cabriolet’ after a highly emotional event. The hope, of course, is that ‘the ashes were safely returned and got the send-off they deserved,’ though the very idea of such a loss is truly heart-wrenching.
Then there’s the truly bizarre case of a ‘real skull’ being left behind. While the context quickly clarifies that ‘it’s not as grisly as it sounds,’ as the car ‘had been on hire to a group of students at Liverpool University medical school’ and was ‘presumably… intended to be used in their studies,’ the image is still jarring. Even more strangely, this particular ‘lost skull was never claimed…,’ leaving us to wonder about its ultimate fate and the forgetfulness of its academic owners. These finds definitely take the ‘lost and found’ into truly uncharted and unsettling territory.
6. **Prosthetic Limbs**We often joke about being so forgetful that we’d ‘probably forget my head if it wasn’t screwed on!’ But while no one has *actually* left their head in a rental car, the reality isn’t far off for some truly forgetful individuals. Astonishingly, rental car lost and found departments have reunited people with their very own prosthetic limbs, a testament to a level of absentmindedness that defies easy explanation.
Yes, you heard that correctly. Numerous prosthetic legs and arms have been discovered abandoned in hire cars. Imagine the sudden, terrifying realization that you’ve driven off, only to leave behind such a crucial and personal part of your daily life. It’s a reminder of just how discombobulated people can get when traveling, or perhaps how much of a rush they are in when returning a vehicle.
The thought of someone needing to be reunited with their limb is both a little sad and incredibly surprising. You can only hope that ‘they were all safely returned to their owners,’ because losing such an item would undoubtedly be a monumental inconvenience, if not a crisis. It truly makes you wonder about the circumstances surrounding such an extraordinary act of forgetfulness, proving that rental cars are indeed receptacles for the most unexpected of personal belongings.
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7. **Engagement/Wedding Rings**Forgetting a small, valuable item in a rental car might seem common, but when that item carries immense emotional and financial weight, the oversight becomes truly shocking. Imagine planning a romantic, once-in-a-lifetime proposal, with all the meticulous details, only for the centerpiece of that moment to be left behind in a rented vehicle. That’s precisely what happened to one unfortunate individual.
The context describes a scenario where someone planned to propose with a ‘chocolate box where one of the treats had been replaced with a diamond ring.’ This elaborate and sweet gesture took a sour turn when ‘the box had been left behind in a rental car.’ Was it a simple case of forgetting the box in the post-proposal excitement? Or, more dramatically, did ‘the gimmick didn’t go to plan and the proposee said no,’ leading to the ring’s abandonment? The mystery only adds to the shocking nature of the find.
Believe it or not, this wasn’t an isolated incident. The context notes that ‘this isn’t the only case where an engagement ring has been left behind.’ Furthermore, wedding rings also make the list of forgotten treasures. The ‘panic that sets in when you have misplaced your band of happiness’ is multiplied a hundredfold when it’s lost in a rental. It leads to tantalizing speculation: ‘Did someone meet someone else and decide that someone should not know the other someone is married, so they hooked up, and someone left their ring behind?’ These precious finds tell stories of love, loss, and perhaps, a touch of marital intrigue.
Alright, if you thought the first batch of rental car finds had you doing a double-take, buckle up, buttercup, because we’re diving even deeper into the wild world of forgotten items! From the truly stomach-churning to the utterly baffling, rental car employees have seen it all. Get ready to explore the stuff that makes you ask, ‘Seriously, how?!’
8. **Dirty Diapers**Let’s be real, travel with kids is tough. You’re juggling bags, strollers, snacks, and tiny humans, so a little forgetfulness can happen. But some things are just… next level. Imagine the absolute horror of a rental car smelling inexplicably bad, only to discover the source is a dirty diaper, stowed away and slowly stewing in the sun.
David Tubbs from Port Sanilac, Michigan, recounted a trip where an ‘odor in the car’ led them to open the ‘stow and go portion’ of their Chrysler minivan, revealing a truly unpleasant surprise: a dirty diaper. From that moment on, it earned the affectionate nickname, ‘the go and stow.’ You can almost smell it, can’t you?
Former agent Allison described trying to get the smell of a dirty diaper out of a car after it had been ‘baking in there overnight’ as an absolute nightmare. People apparently stash these little biohazards ‘under the seats, under floor mats, in the trunk, in the glove compartment, you name it.’ It’s a vivid picture of gross negligence that makes you wonder about the previous occupants.
It’s one thing to forget your phone, but a dirty diaper? That’s a whole different level of ‘oops.’ It certainly adds a new dimension to those lingering ‘unexplained’ smells some renters complain about. We just hope these pungent parcels were quickly and safely disposed of, ideally by someone with a very strong stomach.
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9. **Full Cans of Gasoline**Now, this isn’t gross in the same way a dirty diaper is, but it’s baffling and potentially dangerous. Why would anyone leave not one, but *two* full cans of gasoline in the backseat of a rental car? It’s a question that stumped former agent Allison, who found these explosive surprises ‘always filled’ and usually in the back seat.
The worst instance involved a customer who dropped off the car on a Saturday, leaving the two full cans to ‘marinate’ in the car’s interior until Monday, as the agency was closed Sunday. Just picture that aroma building up over 48 hours in a sealed vehicle – it’s enough to make your eyes water!
The manager, in a stroke of questionable genius, tried to save a buck on professional cleaning. He ‘insisted we fill pans with ammonia and leave them in the car overnight,’ hoping it would absorb or cancel out the gas odor. Spoiler alert: it did not.
Instead, the car reeked of both gasoline *and* ammonia, a truly toxic combination. Unsurprisingly, the first ‘poor unsuspecting customer’ immediately returned it. The manager tried to rent it out four more times before finally caving and getting it detailed, but even then, Allison noted, ‘it still never smelled right.’ That car became the infamous ‘car of absolutely last resort,’ a testament to one very strange, very pungent oversight.
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10. **Peculiar Animal Remnants (Goat Doo-doo and Pig Eyes)**While a stray dog hair or two might be expected, some animal-related discoveries in rental cars venture into the truly bizarre, forcing employees to confront sights (and smells) that are decidedly out of the ordinary. It seems some renters treat these vehicles as mobile zoos, or perhaps, science labs.
Car hire firms typically ban pets due to the mess, but one renter clearly missed the memo. Upon return, a vehicle was found ‘littered with suspicious-looking droppings.’ When tested, these mysterious nuggets ‘turned out to be goat droppings.’ Un-baa-lieveable, right? You just have to hope the cleaning crew didn’t mistake them for an unexpected snack!
If goat droppings weren’t strange enough, brace yourselves for this one: car hire employees were reportedly ‘too stunned to speak when they found – brace yourselves – a container full of pigs’ eyes.’ Yes, you read that correctly. A whole container of gory globes! Thankfully, there was no sinister plot afoot. The eyes were simply ‘being used for research,’ a slightly less terrifying but equally baffling explanation for such a discovery.
These finds highlight that it’s not just Fido or Fluffy leaving their mark. From unexpected farm animals leaving behind their ‘deposits’ to science experiments on wheels, rental cars truly host a wild spectrum of animal encounters. It’s enough to make you wonder what other creatures have covertly hitched a ride, leaving behind proof of their secret adventures.
11. **A Full Skeleton (Prop)**If the idea of human remains (like an urn or a skull) left in a rental car made you shiver, imagine the sheer, heart-stopping moment when a rental car employee opens a trunk and finds… a full skeleton! It sounds like the opening scene to a true-crime podcast, doesn’t it?
One employee in Seattle probably thought they were starring in their own detective show when they discovered a ‘full-sized, fully dressed skeleton’ in the boot of a Toyota Camry. Cue the dramatic music and the instant call to forensics! This is the kind of discovery that makes the job description ‘car cleaner’ feel wildly inadequate.
However, before you start crafting elaborate murder mystery theories, rest assured that this particular find wasn’t as grisly as it sounds. The skeleton was, thankfully, ‘only a prop from a classroom training session.’ No murder mystery to be solved here, just a very, very forgetful (and probably very embarrassed) student or instructor.
Still, the image of a fully-clothed skeleton riding shotgun (or boot-gun, in this case) is undeniably shocking. It just goes to show that while some things are left behind by accident, others are just… plain weird. Who knew rental cars were also part-time storage units for teaching aids with a penchant for dramatic entrances?
12. **“The Art of Speed Seduction” CD**Speaking of baffling, imagine cleaning out a returned car and stumbling upon a half-drunk can of beer next to a CD with the title: ‘The Art of Speed Seduction.’ It’s not just a forgotten item; it’s an entire untold story, a tantalizing glimpse into a renter’s mysterious escapades that we’ll never fully comprehend.
This particular discovery paints a vivid picture: a man, dressed up, hitting a bar, probably trying out some questionable pick-up lines. Did they work? Was the beer for liquid courage? Was the CD his secret weapon, offering whispered wisdom on the intricacies of quick romance? The context leaves us with a thrilling cliffhanger that only the former renter could resolve.
This isn’t just about an item; it’s about the sheer audacity and the narrative it implies. You can almost feel the secondhand embarrassment – or perhaps admiration – for the person who both owned and subsequently abandoned this artifact of their romantic endeavors. It truly makes you wonder about the adventures (or misadventures) that unfold within the confines of a rental car.
And let’s be honest, who *wouldn’t* want to get their hands on that CD? Forget your playlists, we’re all just out here trying to master ‘The Art of Speed Seduction,’ or at least understand what makes someone forget such a treasure (or tactical guide) in a rental car. It’s a truly bizarre piece of forgotten history, leaving us endlessly curious.
13. **Hairpieces and False Teeth**Alright, for our grand finale, let’s wrap things up with a couple of personal items that are so intimately tied to a person’s appearance, their abandonment feels almost surreal. We often joke about leaving our heads behind, but some folks have come pretty close by forgetting their hairpieces and even their false teeth!
A hairpiece, or a weave as it’s sometimes called, might seem like a small item, but it carries a lot of significance for its owner. The context teases with speculation: ‘Perhaps some rapper girl had a long day, and just needed give that weave a break,’ or maybe ‘some people were making out hecticly and the only thing that got off, was the hairpiece.’ It’s a moment that could spark endless theories, all equally hilarious and perplexing.
Then there are the false teeth. Imagine finding a set of dentures simply sitting on the front seat of a rented Chevrolet. The question immediately springs to mind: ‘why, oh why?’ Was the food so bad on their trip that it was the only way to escape the taste? Or perhaps, as the context suggests, it’s just one of those things that happens ‘when we reach a certain age, we tend to leave things around.’
These truly personal, and sometimes very funny, forgotten items underscore just how frantic or distracted people can get during their travels. From grand romantic gestures to literal parts of their physical being, rental cars truly witness the full spectrum of human forgetfulness. Next time you drop off your rental, take an extra moment for a thorough sweep – you never know what wild, weird, or wonderful story you might accidentally leave behind for the next poor soul (or cleaning crew) to discover!
