sorry I missed most of this - but I must have my two-pennuth.
semi or semi-trailer It really does depend on to whom you are speaking as to whether this will be understood in UK. Certainly a lorry-driver (or truck-driver - the two terms are pretty equally used) would know what you meant, and would be quite likely to use the term frequently amongst fellow professionals.
artic understood by just about everyone - the accent on the first syllable.
governed to 60 mph You definitely have to be joking, CapK!! The Volvo F-series, fro instance, are capable of over 90 mph when unladen. So are the Scanias, and Mercs. Even the Leylands and AECs will do aaround 80.
When you are stuck behind on doing60, I'll take a small bet that they are, a) fully laden
and b) either going up hill or negotiating winding roads, or have been stuck behind a slow-moving, granny-driven Nissan Micra and not managed to build up speed yet.
Try driving at a 60 in the middle lane of the M-way and find out how soon it is before your rear mirror is filled with the letters OVLOV !!
