It's possible what attacked you are yellow jackets? They look very similar to honeybees. [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9133]That colony we had on our driveway[/url], as many times as I looked at them, I would've sworn they were honeybees. These DIDN'T look like the ones that swarm picnics and barbecues we call "yellow jackets".
Try setting up in a chair, preferably in a shade with an ice-cold drink, and see if you can spot a flight pattern. That's how I located the nest on our driveway. Aggressive bees protecting their colony are supposedly sensitive to whirring/motor sounds like weed whackers, lawn mowers, and kids' motorized vehicles, bicycles/tricycles, etc. as well as regular thudding of a jogger.
That big swarm you and your neighbor saw was probably a swarming colony, with a brand new queen, looking for a good place to settle. They're kind of cool to see and they're usually too busy to bother with people. (Though I believe the Africanized bees are strung out and remain aggressive.)
Yesterday, DD7 came out in the garden to see the early morning blooms of Morning Glories before they closed up in the sun (These are volunteer/wild ones and have gorgeous blue flowers but don't stay open long). She was stopped in her tracks just a few steps from me when a big bumble bee came buzzing straight at her, hovered in front of her bright yellow T-shirted chest (apparently staring at the cartoon-style Loche Ness Monster -- a souvenir T from DH's business trip to Scotland), then flew off in a tangent. When she said in a scared voice that she stayed very still like I taught her, I told her that this bumble bee just woke up and that she was still too sleepy and confused her for a patch of bright yellow flowers. She brightened up right away and said "Ooh, so it was looking at me like -- in a sleepy voice -- (yawn) there are some flowers, bzz bzz, huh? (leaning in to look closely) IS this a flower? THIS ISN'T a flower! It's a kid! Hmph! BZZZZZ (gesturing with her hand to mimic it flying away)"
