Pittsburgh ? Ben Roethlisberger hasn’t been able to show his face around here. Martha Fleishman can relate.

She is the motorist who pulled in front of Roethlisberger’s motorcycle last month. Pittsburgh’s 240-pound quarterback bounced off Fleishman’s car. Then the weight of the entire Steelers Nation came crashing down on the driver.

Fleishman was charged with failure to yield to oncoming traffic. According to Pennsylvania law, that carries a $106.50 fine. According to Crazy Fan statutes, it is a capital offense.

“Time for ‘Tom’s Diner’ justice,” one blogger wrote.

Tom’s Diner is where a man was beaten to death after a Steelers’ win over the Bucs in 2002. Fleishman’s address and phone number were posted on the Internet. Since she had Maine license plates, some theorized Fleishman tried to kill their QB because she’s a New England fan.

If nothing else, this proves Roethlisberger isn’t the only person around here who’s suffered head trauma. The good news is Big Ben will be fine. As for little Martha, it’s sort of hard to tell.

About all we know is she’s 62 years old, lives part-time in Maine and has a husband named Martin. Immediately after the June 12 accident, he said his wife was mortified by what happened.

She hasn’t spoken publicly. I called her, hoping to find out about the woman who sent an entire city into a panic.

“I’m sorry,” Fleishman said. “I have no comment.”

She seemed nice, especially since she had every right to slam down the phone while cursing me out for being a media jackal. I took it upon myself to apologize for all the harassment she’s endured.

“Thank you,” she said.

That was it. I’m no psychic, but she sure didn’t sound like someone who’d try to run down a rival quarterback with a Chrysler.

That doesn’t excuse what happened at the intersection of 10th Street and Second Avenue. Roethlisberger had the right of way, and Fleishman hung a left into his path.

After navigating downtown Pittsburgh’s byzantine streets, it’s easy to see why it wasn’t the first accident there. The area is shadowy, there are no turn lanes and the sight lines are limited.

As rotten as Roethlisberger’s luck was that day, Fleishman had the misfortune of pulling in front of someone who had not completed the state-mandated motorcycle safety course. And in case you hadn’t heard, Roethlisberger wasn’t wearing a helmet, which he was required to do.

But Fleishman’s biggest mistake, of course, was not cutting off an average schmo. The fan reaction was predictable. Most Pittsburgh citizens didn’t want her tossed into the Monongahela River, of course. Those who did are hardly unique.

If Fleishman wanted to capitalize on the crash, she could have put her crumpled windshield for bid on eBay. Some Patriots fan would undoubtedly have it hanging over their fireplace this morning.

Such is life on the lunatic fringe. If you heard about Roethlisberger and for even a second thought, “Y’know, if he really is brain dead, it would sure open things up in the AFC North,” please go sit under a tree and reassess your life.