Underground auto competitions in Adenau causing alarm among residents due to excessive noise
In the picturesque town of Adenau, Germany, residents are growing increasingly concerned about the escalating issues of nighttime noise disturbances and illegal street racing, primarily attributed to car enthusiasts visiting the world-renowned Nurburgring race track.
The local authorities, including the Verbandsgemeinde and the police, have acknowledged the residents' concerns, with Verbandsgemeinde mayor Nisius stating that the problems have significantly worsened recently and have become unacceptable. Adenau's mayor Frank Wisniewski has confirmed the residents' statements but emphasized that the city cannot act on the matter.
Since 2019, the Nurburgring has been running a campaign called "Be a role model!" featuring known drivers and functionaries promoting consideration on the roads. However, it seems that this message is yet to reach a considerable portion of the visitors.
Rudolf Bell, a retiree from Adenau-Breidscheid, has been fighting against these disturbances since 2019. He has called for more support from the Nurburgring to appeal to its visitors to behave normally on the roads. Bell's concerns are shared by two families living on the main street in Adenau, who wrote an open letter about the noise disturbances caused by drivers.
The disturbances include "noise terrorism" and deliberate misfires that sound like a machine gun. One resident even recorded a car speeding through Breidscheid at 159 km/h. Around 80% of the cars causing these disturbances have foreign license plates, presumed to be tourists heading to the Nurburgring.
In an attempt to address these issues, a working group on "Noise and Traffic" in the Adenau association of municipalities will meet on September 18 to discuss noise pollution caused by Nurburgring visitors. Verbandsgemeinde mayor Nisius suggests a police presence "unprecedented" in Ahrweiler for four weeks to address the issues.
While specific recent actions taken to combat these problems are limited, authorities and the Nurburgring have been addressing the issues through enforcement and community engagement. Typically, this might involve increased police patrols and surveillance during night hours in hotspot areas, the use of noise monitoring equipment, and direct intervention in illegal street racing events. Collaborations with the operators of the Nurburgring to restrict unofficial use of public roads and promote responsible motorsport activities on the race track itself are also part of these efforts.
However, the search results did not provide detailed or recent specifics about nighttime noise disturbance management or anti-illegal racing initiatives beyond normal emergency support at events. For a fuller picture, official statements from local government, police, and the Nurburgring management would be needed.
Talks between authorities and the Mayen police are scheduled for August 26 to discuss solutions to the problems. As the situation continues to evolve, residents hope for a swift resolution to the noise and racing issues, allowing them to enjoy peaceful nights once again.
[1] Radsport Breuer in pit 23 provided emergency technical support services during the 2025 events, indicating an organized approach to event management and safety on-site. This could be part of broader efforts to regulate activities and ensure proper conduct during official track use.
- The residents of Adenau, Germany, are concerned about the rising issues of nighttime noise disturbances and illegal street racing, primarily due to car enthusiasts visiting the Nurburgring race track.
- Verbandsgemeinde mayor Nisius and Adenau's mayor Frank Wisniewski have acknowledged the concerns, stating that the problems have worsened significantly and have become unacceptable, calling for a police presence unparalleled in Ahrweiler for four weeks.
- To address these issues, a working group on "Noise and Traffic" in the Adenau association of municipalities will meet on September 18, while collaborations with the operators of the Nurburgring to restrict unofficial use of public roads and promote responsible motorsport activities on the race track are also part of their efforts.
