Door holding device

For use with a vehicle having a body and a door pivotal around a substantially vertical axis and movable between an open and a closed position with respect to the body, either said door or said body having a latch mechanism and the other of said door or said body having a lock element, wherein the latch mechanism releasably lockingly engages the lock element on the other of said door or said body when said door is in its closed position, a device for holding the door in a predetermined open position comprising:

• an elongated member;
• first means secured to one end of the elongated member for releasably lockingly engaging the latch mechanism;
• second means secured to the other end of the elongated member for releasably lockingly engaging the lock element;
• and
• wherein the lock element comprises a cylindrical striker pin and wherein said first means comprises a cylindrical pin substantially identical to said lock element wherein said second means comprises a pair of elongated tabs extending laterally outwardly from at least one side of said elongated member, said tabs being spaced apart by an amount sufficient to receive the striker pin therebetween;
• and
• wherein with said first means attached to said latch mechanism, said elongated member extends substantially horizontally so that the weight of the device maintains the locking engagement between said second means and the lock element.