code: public boolean isBefore(final T element) {
          if (element == null) {
              return false;
          }
          return comparator.compare(element, maximum) > 0;
      }
docs: <p>Checks whether this range is before the specified element.</p>
  
  @param element  the element to check for, null returns false
  @return true if this range is entirely before the specified element