Given that I ordered two Jalapenos from Butterfly Labs in January and they've just shipped today, and people who ordered larger, more expensive items are waiting even longer, I'd say there's a certain tolerance for waiting when it comes to money and items crossing borders in the Bitcoin community.
No, there isn't tolerance. The Bitcoin community feels trapped and accepts fate.
BFL: they refuse refunds. You can get them if you push PayPal a bit, but BFL's policy is that you're stuck.
Mt Gox: despite multiple failures (security breaches, closing when they couldn't handle load, wire delays, etc) they still survive because they're the biggest.
Bitcoin is run by a bunch of hobbyists cashing in. The market will mature, and in time there will be a greasy spot where companies like BFL and Mt. Gox used to be. It's much like the early days of the Internet: early ISPs were charming, but eventually the Internet service grew and required companies that could operate at that level.
If all the companies selling mining equipment are incompetent and untrustworthy, you don't have to mine. I don't any more. You don't have to daytrade either.
I never said anything suggesting that all the companies were untrustworthy. I was responding to the idea that Bitcoiners are patient - I was pointed out that wasn't the case, but that some very large players in the industry have backed their customers into corners with little way out.
Given that pirateat40's ponzi managed to take in the majority of the Bitcoin community, I'd say their actions don't necessarily represent sound financial practice.