"Tyre skip" aka "crabbing" is quite common (on cars with wide low profile tyres) especially in the cooler months but this is more a sudden jolt rather than a vibration. When I experienced it for the first time (tight right turn out of my drive, frosty morning) i felt like I'd driven over a brick!
And step, 3 Depress the brake pedal, is simply a safety thing to stop the car moving, rather than the usual electrical signal to release the shift lever?
From the RC300h handbook..
The following steps may be used as an
emergency measure to ensure that the shift
lever can be shifted.
Releasing the shift lock:
1 Set the parking brake.
2 Turn the power switch off.
3 Depress the brake pedal.
4 Pry the cover up with a flathead screwdriver or equivalent tool.
To prevent damage to the cover, cover the
tip of the screwdriver with a rag.
Press the shift lock override button. The shift lever can be shifted while the button is pressed.
On the newer models and the full electric versions, it's now a requirement to alert pedestrians. I'm surprised you have it on a 2011.
Unless you are speaking of the parking sensor alert as you approach an obstacle?
On a 2011 CT?
I had it on a 2021 UXe loan car and i couldn't find how to disable it. Rather annoying on an electric car, late at night or early morning...
Ok, it's in the USA but some interesting timings
https://www.quora.com/How-long-does-it-normally-take-you-to-fill-up-at-a-gas-station-from-the-time-you-drive-onto-their-lot-to-the-time-you-leave