I know! My point is that if we are talking about rollaboards, then it doesn't really matter whether you are bulkhead or not -- there's always the danger your spot might be full if you board late. If we are talking about personal items that could fit under the seat in front of you, then I understand -- but OP already said they put their purse behind their legs when sitting in bulkhead, so not sure why bulkhead is at such a disadvantage.

I prefer just jumping up immediately when the brake is set. There is always a minute or two before the door opens so the only "traffic" you might be blocking are the people who inexplicably feel the need to stand in the aisle for that time. IMO if you're fast enough you don't have to push by that many people, and I've never had trouble with a fast "excuse me". Otherwise you're walking backwards into a flow of deplaning pax.

Row 1 also has limited or no room for rollaboards above, due to the tapering of the fuselage.

I have never not been on a flight where everyone doesn't jump up like a jack rabbit as soon as the fasten seat belt sign is on. Everyone is putting on coats, grabbing bags, stretching.

On the new 777-300, there is no overhead space for the middle seats 1D and 1G (its the crew rest space entered from above, Im told), so the only place to stow their bags nearby are the overheads over the side seats.

On a recent flight I was in 1D, and I put my bag the first overhead on the side, and the person in 1C put his bag in there as well. 1A boarded later and had no room in the overhead. He seemed quite confused, since below the overhead there was a sign for 1A (indicating the seat number but mistaken by him to mean that it was 1A's overhead). He complained to a flight attendant that "his" overhead was filled. She found him space nearby. Not sure if she explained that there is no "reserved" overhead compartment.

I don't think any airline guarantees you have your own dedicated overhead space, and on narrowbodies in first class, if I dont board with group 1, I assume Im going to have to use an overhead that may not be near my seat.

The problem with that statement is that the passengers from rows 4, 5, etc. are following immediately behind the passengers from 2 and 3. There is usually a bit of a delay between the seatbelt light coming off and the door being opened. It would be far more helpful for everyone concerned if the passengers in row 1 could get their stuff during that delay and then get out of everyone's way rather than rows 2 and 3 immediately jumping up and crowding the aisle.
I generally try to avoid bulkhead rows because of this and also try to help people who have had to stow their carry-on behind them by either letting them through or helping pass their carry-on up to them. If I've had to stow my carry-on way in the back and don't have a tight connection, I just stay in my seat until the crush passes in front of me and I can go back without creating a traffic jam.

If for some reason I can't place my bag in a bin near my seat, and it is only a few rows back, a little eye contact, and a smile to the person back there, with a, "Could you please hand me the black bag over your head?", has worked for me without fail!
...and everyone lived happily thereafter! ;)

Agree. I've done this quite a few times, it's never been a problem. OTOH, if you wait, you're going to be waiting an awfully long time.

Wow ... that's crazy!

How about addressing the source of the problem: rollers. They are incredibly inefficient users of space, and banning them as carry on would open up a lot of space. I frequently see individuals lugging 2 of these on board, one stacked on the other! It is no wonder there is no overhead space left by the time group 2 boards.

Good luck telling F pax (let alone Y pax) that roll-aboards will be banned (even if they can be checked for free).

By all means though, tilt against the windmill of having gate agents enforce the carry-on rules.

I think if they let (non-elites) check a bag that would be a legal carry-on for free (while still charging for non-carry-on-legal bags), they would solve the overhead bin problem in no time.

Obviously not everyone would check, but enough would. Even if it were just 10% or 20%, that would be a huge help. Add that to the BE fares and maybe you've solved the problem.

They already do this (gate checks are free) and it hasn't solved the problem.

BE fares plus space bins I think will fix most of it though.