Motorists of the world take heart: even popes get flat tires

[January 22, 2018]    LIMA (Reuters) - Pope Francis may have divine inspiration but not divine inflation: on Friday he suffered what millions of ordinary people have to deal with -- a flat tire.

Pope Francis waves as he arrives at the Basadre Institute in Puerto Maldonado, Peru, January 19, 2018. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

While the pope was being driven into Lima from the airport, one of the wheels of the Fiat 500 that was taking him into the city began losing air on the highway.

After his motorcade came to a halt, he calmly exited the car while his security detail surveyed the damage. Without missing a beat, he got into a black, unmarked security car behind him and continued the ride to the presidential palace, television footage showed.

Francis has shunned the bulletproof limousines used by his predecessors, opting for simple cars both in Rome and on his overseas travels.

(Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Sandra Maler)

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