Flying insect (wasp/fly) id from vague description?

Factual Questions
1

I’ve seen these all my life, but I’ve never know their proper name:

It’s some kind of biting/sucking fly (I suppose), with yellow and black stripes.

It doesn’t have an obvious sting, but maybe that’s because I always brushed them away when I felt them biting.

Body length similar to your basic house fly, but pretty slender.

Southeastern USA. I couldn’t get one to pose, or I’d have a pic.

2

Possibly what we always referred to as “sweat bees?”

3

That’s actually pretty close. Might not be the exact bug, but it’s close.

Oh, and BTW, thanks (ten years later). I did get two shirts at Boston Beer Works.

4

Do they hover a lot? Might be a mimic of some sort.