adam277:
In the UK parcel companies are the worst for pushing drivers.
If you ever do a night run down a motorway its always the usual suspects doing 56mph in a 50. They never slow down for average speed cameras.
e.g. DX Freight, Yodel, Tuffnells, DPD, Hermes etc.
You obviously never saw Independent Express or ANC before limiters with the 60 mph ‘limit’. 
We were usually somewhere at the back of the pack at around a leisurely 60-65 mph. 
Gidders:
I recall from many years ago a claim that American tractor units had no brakes on the front axle?
This is correct
I believe USA truck design is now working towards providing brakes.
The next development will be an attempt at providing steering greater than 30 degrees (if that).
andrew.s:
Gidders:
I recall from many years ago a claim that American tractor units had no brakes on the front axle?This is correct
Existing federal law has allowed truckers to remove front-wheel brakes on any three-axle tractor or straight truck.
The new rule mandates steering axle brakes on all vehicles over 10,000 pounds manufactured after July 24, 1980.
Truckers will have until Feb. 27, 1988, to reconnect existing front-wheel brakes or reinstall brakes that had been removed.
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Wheel Nut:
andrew.s:
Gidders:
I recall from many years ago a claim that American tractor units had no brakes on the front axle?This is correct
Existing federal law has allowed truckers to remove front-wheel brakes on any three-axle tractor or straight truck.
The new rule mandates steering axle brakes on all vehicles over 10,000 pounds manufactured after July 24, 1980.
Truckers will have until Feb. 27, 1988, to reconnect existing front-wheel brakes or reinstall brakes that had been removed.
Didn’t know it included rigids. 
As I heard it the princible was that a braked steer axle lifts weight off the drive axles of an artic under braking as the nose of the unit dives with the trailer also pushing against the braked steer thereby creating the conditions for jacknifing.
It might be possible that they were trying to avoid a similar effect in the case of rigids but that’s a lot to stop with only one or two braked axles and obviously doesn’t have a trailer trying to push it sideways around the braked steer axle.
Ignoring this incident but referring to Texas in general driving is very different from here. Septics expect “tires” to last 50k miles so they are hard compound, low grip. The freeway speed limit is generally 70 so 80 really and that includes trucks!
For such a litigious country DD is rife and not at all frowned upon. Family go to a restaurant/bar for a meal, coke for the kids, cocktail for the wife and dad had a beer, or 4. Happily jumps in the car and off they go home like it’s 1963.
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