I know people seem to dismiss this as unimportant, but it isn't. When you don't have space near your, then you have to wait until the corridor has emptied for you get back to your bag further back. Delaying your exit from the plane significantly.
Indeed, there is a far better advantage to have your bag in overheads in front of you versus behind you. So I've seen Y passengers stick their luggage in J overheads, rather than fight it out for space above themselves.
The crew doesn't have any such requirements, they'll be last of anyway, so in effect they are denying a speedy exit for the CE passengers.