Secret Shanghai traffic cameras are secret no longer.To avoid about 1,000 hidden traffic police cameras aimed at speeders, camera-shy drivers are downloading maps from the Internet; the maps pinpoint the cameras, police said yesterday.

Oddly, police don't seem upset and they're not cracking down on map holders or providers.

Many drivers find some of the maps confusing, however.

Police also said if maps can make drivers wary enough to slow down, avoiding a camera and a ticket, that's fine with them.

They even are putting up 100 to 200 billboards to alert drivers to hidden cameras ahead.

Cameras also are being shifted to new locations with more violations.

About 149,000 Websites popped up when the key words "maps for police cameras in Shanghai" in Chinese characters were typed into http://www.google.com/.

The locations of the police cameras installed on street corners were downloaded mainly by popular Website chatroom users, especially those joining car clubs, according to a quick check by Shanghai Daily.

Some chatrooms became the place where drivers shared their findings of new police cameras in order to work out their own avoidance maps.

With cameras located on maps, a driver could slow down, preparing for a camera ahead, and avoiding a speeding ticket.

His vehicle and license plate would not be "shot" by the camera.

Though downloading different maps appears frequent online, it's hard to keep track of different versions. "There were so many road spots with police cameras, how could I remember all of them?" said a driver nicknamed vivian604.

Traffic police said that they have no plans to crack down on those who release to the Internet map alerts of police cameras. "We are installing more and more sign boards 100 to 200 meters ahead of the cameras, warning drivers to slow down," said an officer surnamed Sun.