diff --git a/pdfminer/layout.py b/pdfminer/layout.py
index 84345ea..08bfc9e 100644
--- a/pdfminer/layout.py
+++ b/pdfminer/layout.py
@@ -23,19 +23,19 @@ def csort(objs, key):
 class LAParams(object):
 
     def __init__(self,
-                 writing_mode='lr-tb',
                  line_overlap=0.5,
                  char_margin=2.0,
                  line_margin=0.5,
                  word_margin=0.1,
                  boxes_flow=0,
+                 detect_vertical=False,
                  all_texts=False):
-        self.writing_mode = writing_mode
         self.line_overlap = line_overlap
         self.char_margin = char_margin
         self.line_margin = line_margin
         self.word_margin = word_margin
         self.boxes_flow = boxes_flow
+        self.detect_vertical = detect_vertical
         self.all_texts = all_texts
         return
 
@@ -480,7 +480,8 @@ class LTLayoutContainer(LTContainer):
                     #          |<--->|
                     #        (char_margin)
                     k |= 1
-                if (obj0.is_compatible(obj1) and obj0.is_hoverlap(obj1) and 
+                if (laparams.detect_vertical and
+                    obj0.is_compatible(obj1) and obj0.is_hoverlap(obj1) and 
                     min(obj0.width, obj1.width) * laparams.line_overlap < obj0.hoverlap(obj1) and
                     obj0.vdistance(obj1) < max(obj0.height, obj1.height) * laparams.char_margin):
                     # obj0 and obj1 is vertically aligned:
diff --git a/tools/pdf2txt.py b/tools/pdf2txt.py
index 5f4bb31..2aa121d 100755
--- a/tools/pdf2txt.py
+++ b/tools/pdf2txt.py
@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@ def main(argv):
     import getopt
     def usage():
         print ('usage: %s [-d] [-p pagenos] [-m maxpages] [-P password] [-o output] '
-               '[-n] [-A] [-M char_margin] [-L line_margin] [-W word_margin] [-F boxes_flow] '
+               '[-n] [-A] [-V] [-M char_margin] [-L line_margin] [-W word_margin] [-F boxes_flow] '
                '[-Y layout_mode] [-O output_dir] [-t text|html|xml|tag] [-c codec] [-s scale] file ...' % argv[0])
         return 100
     try:
-        (opts, args) = getopt.getopt(argv[1:], 'dp:m:P:o:nAM:L:W:F:Y:O:t:c:s:')
+        (opts, args) = getopt.getopt(argv[1:], 'dp:m:P:o:nAVM:L:W:F:Y:O:t:c:s:')
     except getopt.GetoptError:
         return usage()
     if not args: return usage()
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ def main(argv):
         elif k == '-o': outfile = v
         elif k == '-n': laparams = None
         elif k == '-A': laparams.all_texts = True
+        elif k == '-V': laparams.detect_vertical = True
         elif k == '-M': laparams.char_margin = float(v)
         elif k == '-L': laparams.line_margin = float(v)
         elif k == '-W': laparams.word_margin = float(v)