Why this code...

```
$curr_time = new DateTime();
$query_inprocess = "UPDATE `MyTable` 
                    SET inprocess=1 
                    WHERE startTime <= '" .$curr_time->format('Y-m-d H:i') . "'";

```

...results in incorrect SQL query, in which the statement after `<` is ignored?

```
UPDATE `MyTable` SET inprocess=1 WHERE startTime <

```